Plans for Vaca Time

With all this time off in December, it's time to go to the movies...

Want to see:

• The Tale of Despereaux
• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
• Doubt
• Wendy and Lucy
• Slumdog Millionaire (check)
• Milk (check)
• The Brothers Bloom
• Frost/Nixon
• Cadillac Records

And catch up on my reading:

• The Word
• Song of Solomon
• Everything is Illuminated
• Infinite Jest (gave up)
• Barrel Fever
• Shantaram

Plus, go home and catch up with old friends. 

It's raining so hard right now.

The sound is amplified because of the skylight. 

My holiday song:

"River" by Joni Mitchell.

I like Christmas:

Celebrating Jesus' birth.

General cheer.

Gift giving.

More time to spend with family and friends.

What I don't like:

Having to get a whole bunch of work done right before Christmas.

Gaudy decorations.

Lots of people everywhere.

Gift giving turned into crazy consumerism and extravagance.

All the poor trees getting cut down.

Those are the things I want to skate away from...

Tide Pools!

Tide Pools!
Originally uploaded by gliuoo

Heart!

Heart!, originally uploaded by gliuoo.

Video chatting is so fun.

2008 - 2009

Kleenex

The last time I was in JJ's office crying (Why was I crying? Who knows? I don't remember), I was outraged because he didn't offer me a tissue. "Why are you not giving me kleenex?!" I exclaimed while trying to wipe away tears with my hands. "Because you've used them all! I got none left because of you!" he retorted. Then, we laughed.

He came in today showing off his new box of unscented kleenex. It was considerate of him to buy unscented ones knowing I'm allergic to strong fragrances.

Hopefully, it'll take me a long time to go through this box.

December

Not excited for all the Christmas music, gaudy decorations and people everywhere.

Excited for lots of playing with friends visiting home.

water falling from the sky

just in the nick of time...

I hope the sound helps me sleep.

I think the sound of rain -- whether it be intermittent drops or pouring rain -- is my favorite sound.

A hymn from today's service:

"Not What These Hands Have Done"

Not what my hands have done can save my guilty soul;

Not what my toiling flesh has borne can make my spirit whole.

Not what I feel or do can give me peace with God;

Not all my prayers and sighs and tears can bear my awful load.

Your voice alone, O Lord, can speak to me of grace;

Your power alone, O Son of God, can all my sin erase.

No other work but Yours, no other blood will do;

No strength but that which is divine can bear me safely through.

They work alone, O Christ, can ease this weight of sin;

Thy blood alone, O Lamb of God, can give me peace within.

Thy love to me, O God, not mine, O Lord, to Thee,

Can rid me of this dark unrest, and set my spirit free.

I bless the Christ of God; I rest on love divine;

And with unfaltering lip and heart I call this Savior mine.

His cross dispels each doubt; I bury in His tomb

Each thought of unbelief and fear, each lingering shade of gloom.

I praise the God of grace; I trust His truth and might;

He calls me His, I call Him mine, My God, my joy and light.

'Tis He who saveth me, and freely pardon gives;

I love because He loveth me, I live because He lives.

Minus/Plus

Minus:

The holidays are especially more annoying and sad this year.

Plus:

Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and a letter from Mina. 

Maybe the holidays won't be so bad...

40+ street artists you should know besides Banksy.

Audra Lewicki

Audra became my friend while I spent a semester in D.C. She's from West Virginia, but attended Wooster College in Illinois. We instantly became friends some how. I admired her passion, spunk and curiosity. She started a recycling program at her college, which I thought was pretty rad.

Fond memories:

• singing our field trip song while skipping every time we visited various organizations for lectures
• reading/journaling/playing by candlelight and talking about how we felt like we were characters in "Little Women" in South Africa
  
• generally frolicking, laughing and crying together in South Africa

Audra is so vibrantly beautiful.

I was looking forward to her visit to San Diego this week. But, a family emergency came up so she's coming in January. It will have been six years since we first met. Wow.

사랑하는 효정,

생일 축하한다. 

It's probably already your birthday in Korea. 

(I thought you might appreciate:)

Awestruck

What one word describes your current state of mind?

It's Election Day!!!

I'm so excited!

Church Hunting

Hmm, that sounds so negative.
How about I call it church searching?
But then, it sounds so .... lost (?).

Ok, anywho...

I went to a church in La Jolla my mom recommended. It was small and reminded me of FPC (my home church):

• the intimacy of the group
• the awkward newcomers introduction time
• the 'happy birthday' song on the first Sunday of the month. Everyone sounded drunk.

Everyone was very friendly.

Things I liked:

• the group ranged from age 70 to little kids. Most everyone was in their 30s.
• the pastor is Korean, but most of the congregation is Caucasian. There were a few Koreans. One Brazilian guy, one African guy, and generally a good little cultural mix.
• family-ness.
• communion service every first and third Sunday of the month.
  
• singing hymns.

I think the church may have been a little too traditional for me, but maybe I'll get used to it. I don't know; I still want to go back to Flood. I really liked all the different ministries at Flood. Plus, I felt a little more connected. It's odd because I felt more comfortable at the small church yesterday because it felt more like home, but I felt more excited at the bigger church.

Maybe I'll go to both services next Sunday. A whole day of church.
We'll see...

from The New Yorker

UNDECIDED by David Sedaris

This morning's highlights:

• buying a bag of the best oranges in the world at the farmer's market
• talking about pretty things with the jewelry lady
• video-chatting with Kristine, which included a special "E.T." moment and virtual hug
  

Dear God,

Thank you for loving me
in spite of me.

Sleep.

I need.

Giddy.

I like the word "giddy" because I think the way the word looks perfectly describes the feeling.
The loops and curves.
I haven't felt that silly junior-high-school girly giddiness in a while.
It's kind of fun.

Meet Me In St. Louis

I'm not exactly sure what there is to do or see in St. Louis besides the arch, but I look forward to exploring. If all else fails, there's always television at the hotel. (It's a luxury when one does not have one at home.)

It'll be interesting/awkward to hang out with the people I work with. I don't mind the people at my office, but we're going with people from the other agencies too. JJ's goal is to get them drunk, so they'll all get along better.

Hopefully, I'll get to attend a few interesting workshops, rest a bit and enjoy watching work people having fun.

Studio 14

It's been fun going to thrift stores searching for pieces of furniture, flower vases, tea cups, etc. I can't wait to start my little garden. There's something quite soothing about gardening; I especially enjoy patting down the moist and cold soil. 

I feel relaxed, at peace and simply comfortable when I walk into my place. It's small, yet cozy and perfect for me. Plus, now I'm just across the street from Whole Foods, two blocks from Trader Joe's, three blocks from my yoga studio and still close to my favorite bookstore. 

I feel incredibly grateful. 

"Drill, baby, drill!"

I'm "darn right" speechless.

Maureen Dowd's Op-Ed piece about Paul Newman

Which Disney Princess are you?

Which Disney Princess are you?

You are a true bookworm and dream of a life better than the simple, quiet one you lead now. Your good looks can attract the town jerks, but you manage to ignore them most of the time. Sometimes you feel like you're surrounded by idiots. So what are you waiting for? You don't need your father to be kidnapped to get out and see the world. Although you can be stubborn, you're also very compassionate and see beyond people's façades.

JJ came out as Esmeralda. (His comments in parenthesis as we read his profile out loud)

You are an exotic beauty who enchants everyone you meet. (Oh, that's true.) You have a special love for music and dance. (Oh, fo' sho'!) You are very kind to strangers, regardless of appearances, but you don't always see beyond good looks when romance is involved. (That's so true.) You have a strong attachment to your community, whether that be made up of family, friends, or both, and you never forget your heritage. Your beauty might attract the wrong sort, so take care that you're not taken advantage of. (That's very true because I attract all sorts) Luckily you don't die at the end of the Disney movie, although in the book you're hanged. (I'm a gypsy; I like that! But, I don't like that hanging part.)

Such a hilarious end to the day.

Elder JJ Quotes

1. JJ's advice on dating:

• Never date a man's potential.
• Playing with a man's emotions is worse than playing with his money.
• Just talk to him, get it out and let it go.

2. Kristin and I were talking about moving around some tables for the meeting later.

• JJ says, "Do you guys want me to help? You might need some muscle."
• Kristin: "Are you flexing right now?"
• JJ: "No, this is the regular, muscular me."
• (laughter explodes in the room)
• JJ: "Ok, you all are laughing a bit too hard." (walks out of the office)

I appreciate that we laugh a lot in our office.

My first celebrity crush

Paul Newman, 83, is dead.

I think Paul Newman was my first celebrity crush. I watched a lot of AMC growing up because of Mama Liu's love for movies and she somehow believed that "classic" films were okay for children to watch (although many of the films were probably inappropriate for a girl my age).

I remember watching Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Cool Hand Luke as a child and just being so captivated by him. I don't know what I really saw in him as a young girl.

There was something beautifully sad about the characters he portrayed in my favorite movies.

subject line: psst

my profile picture on Goodreads.


In my inbox this morning:

David said to you:
your photograph of your toes is outstanding! a fine example of the self portrait of toes genre!

you said to David:
why thank you kind sir. I'm always looking to contribute to the oh-so-avant-garde self portrait of toes genre.

David said to you:
you should be proud as they are outstanding toes.

For some peculiar reason, I am quite proud.

(Sometimes I get in this strange mood when I just listen to Jeff Buckley all day. There's something about the way he sings that totally draws me in.)

a short film featuring rain (not the Korean pop singer, but real rain, as in water falling from the sky)

While You Were Sleeping: the seductive sight and sound of rain.

I heart.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

“Does it break my heart, of course, every moment of every day, into more pieces than my heart was made of, I never thought of myself as quiet, much less silent, I never thought about things at all, everything changed, the distance that wedged itself between me and my happiness wasn't the world, it wasn't the bombs and burning buildings, it was me, my thinking, the cancer of never letting go, is ignorance bliss, I don't know, but it's so painful to think, and tell me, what did thinking ever do for me, to what great place did thinking ever bring me? I think and think and think, I've thought myself out of happiness one million times, but never once into it.”

“Being with him made my brain quiet. I didn’t have to invent a thing.”

“The meaning of my thoughts started to float away from me, like leaves that fall from a tree into a river, I was the tree, the world was the river.”

“We laughed and laughed, together and separately, out loud and silently, we were determined to ignore whatever needed to be ignored, to build a new world from nothing if nothing in our world could be salvaged, it was one of the best days of my life, a day during which I lived my life and didn’t think about my life at all.”

“Our laughter kept the feathers in the air. I thought about birds. Could they fly if there wasn’t someone, somewhere, laughing?”

“I shook my tambourine the whole time, because it helped me remember that even though I was going through different neighborhoods, I was still me.”

“Humans are the only animal that blushes, laughs, has religion, wages war, and kisses with lips. So in a way, the more you kiss with lips, the more human you are.”

“I like to see people reunited, maybe that’s a silly thing, but what can I say, I like to see people run into each other, I like the kissing and the crying, I like the impatience, the stories that the mouth can’t tell fast enough, the ears that aren’t big enough, the eyes that can’t take in all of the change, I like the hugging, the bringing together, the end of missing someone…”

“I hated myself for going, why couldn’t I be the kind of person who stays?”

“You cannot protect yourself from sadness without protecting yourself from happiness.”

-Jonathan Safran Foer

St. Nick

My email to Nick:
I want these for Christmas. I'm a size 6.5 Thanks Nick. You're the best! ;)


First, I heard a gasp (I believe from looking at the $945 price).

Then, here was his reply:
Judging from what I heard about last night, Ms. Liu, you've been a naughty naughty girl. *Shakes head* You're getting the Payless knock-off of those Manolo's for Christmas… ...Pity

You have to imagine him saying it waving his finger with all the sass in the world. It's a good thing Nick is here. It makes working quite enjoyable.

After a weekend of...

• battling allergies and sounding like a bullfrog
• phone tag with Awk :(
  
• Street Scene (thanks to JJ, we were able to watch Spoon and Beck backstage. Beck was amazing. Stupidly, I didn't charge my camera battery the previous night, so my camera died right before Beck came on. Boo. But, I think I was able to enjoy the show more. Watching the crew set up the stage was one of the most efficient things I've ever seen in my entire life. 15 big guys and no one running into someone else. I was in awe. I also liked watching the audience during the show. Everyone looked so happy.)
  
• ice-skating (for Andrea M.'s birthday. A glorious night of sequins and spandex. The theme somehow became "Bad" - as in Michael Jackson - on ice. It was pretty fantastic.)
  
• the Dead Crow (a "saloon" in the backyard of the guys' house. They built a saloon on their patio with swinging doors and everything - including a Tom Selleck picture. It oversees a canyon and was quite nice. However, the highlight of the night was the dance-off.)
• Flood Church (not too big, but still bigger than what I'm what used to. I liked the pastor and all the various ministries at the church.)

it's a Sufjan Stevens day :) I can't wait to go home after work and fall asleep at 8 p.m. (Don't call me after 8 Johny!)

Cut

I keep forgetting I cut my hair and get a little weirded out when people at the office stare at me. Then, they finally say something and I'm relieved they're not weird. And, I eventually feel like the goober for forgetting that I pretty much cut off 2/3 of my hair.

I'm thinking of going shorter.... Hmm, I think I'm getting myself into a dangerous habit.

My place.

As soon as I walked in, I knew and *felt* it was my place.

• studio apartment
• on 8th (I just keep moving closer to Whole Foods; I've now gone from 4th to 6th and now 8th in Hillcrest. Oh, and the place is closer to my yoga studio.)
  
• hardwood floors
• open, and not too small
• sky light
• separate bathroom and kitchen
• an ironing board that comes out from the wall!!!
  
• an ice box!! (the place was built in 1929; there's even a secret door for the ice man to drop off the ice. I'm kind of bummed it won't get used.)
• a murphy bed (for guests :) )
• and here's the thing that sold me - a nice walk-in closet. It's not that big because the space is shared with the murphy bed, but there's a large shelf on top. I immediately envisioned all my shoes in their happy homes sitting pretty on the shelf.
  

My first place alone.
I feel like a grown-up.

Radiohead & Reading

I had the absolute pleasure of attending a Radiohead concert. It was simply amazing and the best concert I've attended in my entire life (thus far). JJ and I kept turning towards each other after EVERY song to say, "That was amazing," "This is unbelievable," "This is an amazing concert". We knew we were experiencing something special during the entire concert. The night started out as a fun night because we went in JJ's '63 Chevy, his pride and joy. The car is pretty rad and has a crazy stereo system. JJ happened to have a Snoop Dogg CD in, which baffled the Radiohead fans waiting in line to get in. As we passed by, I think they were first confused by the music, then the car, then the two people sitting in the car. I wish I would have taken pictures of some of the facial expressions. Once we got in, it was excellent people-watching. Radiohead fans are so diverse. JJ and I just sat on a bench and made up stories about people as they walked by. THEN, the magic happened: JJ's hook-up escorted us to the pit. From this moment on, I was 100% giddy.

They started the set with 15 Step. I love that song. My favorites in the show: All I Need, Nude, Where I End and You Begin, Climbing Up The Walls, Just, Paranoid Android and Videotape. They ended the whole show with a super long version of Everything in its Right Place. Pure perfection. I was on a music high for the next couple of days after the show.

***
If you have some time, I highly recommend the following books:

• Sex, Drugs & Cocoa Puffs: witty look at pop culture (there's a chapter analyzing 'Saved by the Bell' - it's pretty fantastic)
  
• Killing Yourself to Live: road trip visiting places where rock stars died
• The Complete Maus: graphic novel about a holocaust survivor's son documenting his father's story
• American Splendor
• Dreams From My Father: It turns out Obama's a good writer too. :)

Selling my soul

I've been putting off this public relations project for a long time. Months. My first deadline was April. Then, my second deadline was before I leave for Korea.

After returning from Korea, I had hoped that this project would magically and wonderfully disappear, but of course, it did not. The real reason why I didn't want to work on this project was because it's a public relations fluff piece for a program that I don't agree with. JJ has warned me about this: "You know Liu, you're going to have to do things you don't like and don't agree with at this office... It's just the way it goes. I have to do it all the time, and it just makes me work harder on our other programs." JJ does get caught up in it way more than me simply because he does more politicking. I guess it's not that bad... I've been here for over a couple of years and this is the first time where I've felt forced to do something I don't agree with. I think JJ's been protecting me.

Anyway, back to this project. So, Steve finally gave me a REAL deadline of the end of August. I procrastinated and now today, I hate myself. I hate having to only write about the positive aspects of a program when I can only see the negative facets.

I'm working for the man.
Today's one of those days when I really question how long I can last in this place and I find myself thinking about South Africa a lot.

Ugh.

It's not me,
it's you.

Don't worry.
I would never say that to anyone.

Hmmm, what have I been up to?

It's been a love-filled couple of weeks. I feel quite blessed and happy.
Although, it has been quite sad without Kristine. BUT, the goodbye gave us an excuse to be extra gushy and hold hands for longer. This, I enjoyed.

***
I dog-sat for Roxanne, a friend/co-worker for three weeks. Her place was awesome because it has high ceilings and her art is displayed everywhere. My mom said it reminded her of "Rear Window" because all the studio apartments had big windows and you could see into all the homes. Mama Liu said she thought the people who lived there felt a sense of community because you could see other people although you didn't interact with them. I thought it was a valid point.

The best part about staying at Roxanne's place was Stella. It was love at first sight. Roxanne saved her from a shelter a while ago. She thinks Stella was abused when she was younger because she's terrified of people, especially men. Although, she strangely seemed to like Drew. The stranger part was Dr. Drewlittle kept insisting we call her Choco because she's the color of chocolate. Stella eventually liked Johny too, but I think it was because he serenaded her. She never warmed up to Mark even when he was trying to do his 'Dog Whisperer' stuff. Either way, I think Stella has become a lot more social and less scared. Whenever we would go on our walks and she would act super scared of someone walking, I would say, "Stop acting weird Stella!" and she would actually stop. I'm sure if someone actually saw that little interaction they would think I'm very weird. Oh well.
***
Paul Oh happened to be in San Diego yesterday. He wanted to see the public art along the harbor. I think he's the only other person in this world who loves seeing those sculptures as much as me. It's fun when friends can admire art together.

Quote of the Day

Nick (to Kristin when she interrupted him talking to me): This is a conversation between a rake and a shovel. No hose allowed.
Kristin: You're calling me a ho?

I heart The Submarines.

(thanks Drew)

Say what you will
Love finds you even when,
You've given it up

Everybody deserves to be adored
Why would you settle for less
When the world gives you more?

Lunch with the AmeriCorps* Crew

Mama Liu came to the office and had lunch with the AmeriCorps crew. She was pretty excited about meeting the DA and Assistant DA. But, she was mainly happy about seeing JJ because she adores him. If it was up to her, I would work at the DA's Office under JJ for the rest of my life.

It was fun watching her interact with JJ. I realized that my mommy is pretty funny. She has wit and is very opinionated. She definitely expresses those opinions. My favorite part was when she was all up in JJ's business and told him that he should read the Bible.

Then, JJ shared an interesting thing he learned the other day:
JJ: You know, the other day, I saw on T.V. that when people who keep in touch with family and garden or do some sort of little exercise, they live longer. I think it's just a better life that way.
Mama Liu: So, people talking to family and friends and gardening, and you must add reading good books.
JJ (embarrassingly shocked because he's not much of a reader): Oh, I'll have to remember that one.
Mama Liu: It's better if you read the Bible. (This is the third time she's mentioned to him within a 10-minute conversation.)

Weeks o' Fun

Last week's highlights:

• playing every night,
• seeing Kristine and/or Sharon every night,
• meeting Jimmy of The Album Leaf,
• the grilled cheese sandwich at the Starlite Lounge,
• slumber party at Mark's,
  
• hanging out at the beach.

Last week's lowlights:

• staying out every night past my bedtime and going to work the next day,
• Sharon moving back to Orange County.

This week's highlights:

• Mama staying with me for her birthday week,
• going to the farmer's market with Mama,
• hanging out with Stella (the cutest dog ever.).

This week's lowlights:

• Mama not liking Stella,
• Mama not going to my yoga class with me,
• Mama fell and hurt her ribcage.

Tonight, we're going to MOCA. Tomorrow, the Del Mar Horse Races! And The Bravery! I can't wait to see my mom at the concert.

My mom leaves me notes in the fridge.

It’s not the most common place for the exchange of notes, but it’s actually quite effective. I never miss the notes. Usually, the notes relate to food I should eat, food I should take to SD and/or the temperature of the house (close the window, leave the windows open, turn the A/C off, etc.). She also usually draws smiley faces and they’re really cute because the face is really round and the eyes are squinting.

I visited my mom at church this past Saturday because she’s a Sunday School teacher for the nursery department. I’ve been hearing about her students ever since she started teaching about a month ago. She finds it so fascinating that these two-and-half-year-old to three-year-old kids have such unique personalities. I felt like I already knew them when I first met them on Saturday. They were so much fun and it was indeed so interesting to watch them all interact. One kid just observed all the other kids. I wondered what he thought. It was more fun watching my mom interact with the kids because she doesn’t talk to them like they’re kids. Overall, Saturday was a day of much laughter.
***
I saw a couple of white butterflies around the plants outside my mom’s place Sunday morning. I like butterflies and they made me smile. Then, I drove down the road and noticed there were white butterflies everywhere along the side of the road. I figured it was a Lake Elsinore thing. But, the whole way to church along the freeway, I saw these white butterflies flittering around so free and happy. Ok, maybe they weren’t happy, but I like to believe so. At one point, they were flying towards my car and I was simply amazed. I surprised myself with a giggle.
***
August is full of goodbyes. Heidi’s leaving for Korea. Kristine’s leaving for Michigan. Sharon’s leaving San Diego. I’ll still get to see her, but still… I will miss them all terribly.
***
It was one of those weekends when I was filled with gratitude. There’s so much to be thankful for.

Even walking to work today, I felt overwhelmed with wonder and gratitude.

quotes from pals

JJ:

• “I watched ‘Love Story’ when I was four years old at the drive-in and I was sitting there in the backseat all alone, grieving by myself.”
• A few people whistled at JJ at the gay pride parade – “At my age, any attention is good. Fuck it.”
• “One day, we’ll watch some news conference with the DA on TV, see the press room in the background and remember how we were up in that room talking shit.”

Jonathan

• "I just study all day in the back room with no light. I'm like a troll. A troll with a really good vocabulary."

Irene

• At Comic-Con: "Yeah, so guys will come up to me and tell me, 'you're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen'. I awkwardly say 'thaaanks' and think 'you're weird'. They've probably only seen like two girls in their life, so the compliment isn't even legit."

Smiles of a Summer Night

Men are horrible, vain and conceited. They have hair all over their bodies.

I laughed.

And then the summer night smiled for the third time. For the sad, the depressed, the sleepless, the confused, the frightened, the lonely.

I felt wistful.

Pleasant San Francisco Moments

• the car ride from the airport to Mon's place when Andrew (Mon's roommate) and Pete (Mon's boyfriend) had a conversation without even understanding one another. It was absolutely hilarious. I was sitting in the front, so I could tell which word each person misheard. But, it didn't even matter because the conversation would continue. It was like they were speaking different languages, yet communicating. Absolutely hilarious.
• lying in bed while reading and hearing a gentle knock. "Your tea is ready," says Andrew. We had a pleasant morning drinking tea and talking. I watched him roll up his joints, he got stoned and turned on "That's Entertainment 2". I think it's great that he believes that Fred Astaire is a true baller.
  
• date night with Jenn. We had a nice time reflecting on life at a classy bar.
• people-watching at the Hustler Club. It was so interesting.
  
• meeting Johny (who really spells his name with one "N"!). He was great fun.
  
• exploring the Frida Kahlo exhibit at SFMOMA. Her work exudes sadness and beauty to me.
  
• lots of silly moments with Mon and the rats.
  
• walking around the city.

I simply enjoyed spending time with Mon. We laugh so much; I really appreciate that.

Oh, Nick

I told Nick what Charlotte said in response to his comment regarding my death tree (It's okay. I'm sure your paper will go in a lovely sketchbook. This warmed my heart), and here's what he said:

I guesssss.
Either that or what I was thinking was like toilet paper.

What am I going to do with this boy? He sort of reminds me of my past tutor kids. He'll ask me how to spell things, what certain words mean and I find myself responding to him the same way I used to with my tutor kids:

• Nick, look it up in a dictionary.
  
• I don't want to enable you.
  
• You're a bright kid Nick.
  

July Jubilee!

If you're going to San Francisco
Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair
If you're going to San Francisco
You're gonna meet some gentle people there

I can't wait for:

• playing with Mon.
  
• consuming lots of chocolate while drinking a glass of wine with Jen (Mon's friend/ex-roomie) as we talk about everything and nothing.
• watching fireworks on Friday.
• museums galore!
• fun picture-taking opportunities.
• visiting Mon at her new place of employment, the Hustler Club. That'll be interesting.

As soon as I get back on Monday, it's off to supervisor training for AmeriCorps in L.A. I look forward to learning, taking notes and a lot of free time by the pool. I hope I get everything I expect.

The following week, I'm off at Grief Recovery Training. Luckily, the DA is not going. Now, I only have to bear my soul with 10 other co-workers. Actually, I'm looking forward to the training and JJ thinks it'll be good for me. I believe him.

Yep, that's right. I'm out of the office for half of the month in July! It's pretty rad.

abandoned...

abandoned...

and broken...Why do I find it all so beautiful?
...
I can't help but take pictures of "weird things" (according to JJ). About three weeks ago, we were on the freeway and I saw an abandoned shoe on the side. It looked so sad and beautiful with its laces undone and so alone. I saw the image in my head: the solitary shoe, painted yellow line, and a center divider. It was perfect. We were stuck in traffic, so I hurriedly grabbed for my camera and told JJ to go slowly. Of course he speeds up and I miss the shot. I can still visualize the image in my head and I guess that's where it'll remain.

I wonder what happened to the other shoe.

My Death Tree

We had a conversation about death today.

Me: I want to donate my body, and hopefully they can use the rest for an environmental burial.
Nick (my new very flamboyant student worker): Does that even exist Ms. Liu?
Me: Yes, I've looked into it.
(Nick wants to be cremated, then put in a coffin and buried. I told him that made no sense and it would be a waste of space. After some argumentative banter...)
Nick: You know what?! Your tree's just going to get cut down and turned into paper!

I'm sad.

These are a few of my favorite words:

.hope.
.wonder.
.imagine.
.light.
.peace.
.beauty.
.joy.
.bliss.
.love.
.patience.
.sincerity.
.clarity.
.belief.
.found.
.grateful.
.reprieve.
.safe.
.forgiven.
.free.

Heated Hair

In my inbox:

You are confirmed to attend the Grief Recovery Training scheduled for July 14th - 17th at Marina Village.

My first reaction: a sound that made Kristin ask, "Did someone punch you in the gut?"

How this all came to be...

Our boss, the DA thought some of the employees at the office should attend grief recovery training to learn more about how to interact with people dealing with grief (e.g. victims of crimes, victim's family members, etc.). So, many of the Victim Advocates have attended the training. She also sent some of her executive staff, which includes JJ (my boss) and Michelle (the CEO and my mentor at work). I enjoyed making fun of them having to go because they dreaded it so much. Besides learning about how to work with other people's grief, the attendees had to talk/write about their own grief issues. I knew this killed JJ. Their sweet revenge: making me go.

What's worse? I happen to be in the same group as the boss. The big boss, the DA.
Awkweird.

Nadirs/Zenith of Korea Trip '08

I'm finally somewhat coherent and functioning on U.S. time now. The jetlag after visiting the motherland was like no other.

Overall, the trip was good.

Nadirs

• my father being ... my father. I completely shut down.
• realizing the end.

Zenith:

• spending time with my cousins. They were most kind and generous. We had quite a few things in common.
• seeing my aunt (mama's cousin).
  
• sleeping all the time at Jeju-do. It was much needed and appreciated rest.
• the International Book Fair. I pretty much enjoyed all the bookstores in Korea.
  
• spending time with Dan's parents. They exude warmth and happiness.
• laughing at the outrageousness of Korean television. A combination of the funny, weird and disturbing.
  
• spending time with Marilyn. I felt happy that she was happy.
  
• closure and looking forward to a new beginning.

You can see the pictures posted on the link on the left. I still have to wait for Goeje-do pictures from Marilyn.

Dali's Girl at Window

There's something about this painting that really draws me in...

At the movie theater

me: I wonder why that one light shines brighter than the others.
Mon: That light has its life together and knows what it's doing. It knows its purpose.

Forever Young

Mon and I watched "Young@Heart" tonight. It was delightful. Compelling story and fun characters. Plus, all the singing!

I think old people have way more fun than young people.

Happy Earth Day!

Pleasant surprise of the day:
Paul Oh's "Happy Earth Day" phone call.

So, are you out planting a tree?
No, I'm lying in bed.

This makes me sad.

SAN DIEGO (CNS) - A disabled transient was beaten to death with his own crutch by another man in downtown San Diego's Columbia neighborhood, police said today.

The suspect is at large. The motive is a mystery at this hour.

Shuffle

It's hit or miss with shuffle. I either end up skipping every song or being continuously pleasantly surprised with every song. I had a good shuffle morning.

I started the farmer's market this morning with "Good Day Sunshine" which made me smile. And then the following:

• "Atlantic" - Thrice
• "Everloving" - Moby
• "Shimmeshawabble" - New Orleans Rhythm Kings
• "Breakdown" - Mos Def ft. Talib Kweli
• "When I'm Sixty-Four" - The Beatles
• "Limp" - Fiona Apple
• an etude (I don't remember the name) - Chopin
• "For What It's Worth" - Buffalo Springfield
• "Oh Lately It's So Quiet" - Ok Go
• "Bad Sun" - The Bravery

By the end of "Bad Sun", I had picked up everything I wanted and was ready to leave. I love it when stuff like that happens. Perfect timing.

Now, off to spend some time in the sun at the beach and catch up on reading before I pick up Kris from the airport. We haven't had a date night in over two weeks. It's been too long.

The Rapist

"Therapists rape your mind." - Johny said to me before my first session. Knowing I have a more-than-average (and truthfully, irrational) fear of getting raped, he still said this. What a friend...

Anywho, it turns out I'm pretty okay. I convinced the therapist I didn't need medication because yoga makes me happy. She agreed I didn't need to take meds, so that made me happy. The first couple of times, I felt like I was crazier than I thought. Now, I don't think I'm as crazy, or... I'm just the appropriate amount of crazy. It's manageable craziness.

We talked about my parents. It's amazing how much our parents really shape us. It makes me absolutely terrified to have children. Although, I am thankful for my parents. I think the things I've realized through therapy will help our family be healthy. I sure hope so. It's freeing because I feel less burdened, yet it's scary because it's new territory. Hmm, I don't think I make any sense. You can ask me about it if you want and I'll try to do a better job of explaining.

My therapist says I need to go with my "gut feeling". What is that? I think I'm missing a link somewhere. She says I probably learned to not discern/acknowledge my feelings as a coping mechanism. I still don't fully understand that either. I'll have to let that one marinate.

Overall, I think therapy was a good thing. It's made me a little more aware and hopefully, I can work through issues and grow.

'08 will indeed be great.

Headache

"That girl has to get a concussion to finally sleep well." - JJ

Unfortunately, "that girl" is me. I had a mild concussion last night. I feel mildly retarted. Actually, I feel like a complete fool. There's something about falling, and especially hitting one's head that really injures the ego.

My Unruly Hair

It was pretty windy the other day, which means my hair begins to take on a life of its own... Thus, came the inspiration for The Hair Series:

Two Tuesday Thoughts

• Anthony Minghella died. I liked The Talented Mr. Ripley. But more than that, he impressed me with his direction of Puccini's Madame Butterfly in London. I was lucky enough to see this production in 2005. I sat... actually, I stood in this corner in the last "row" of the theatre because tickets were so expensive and that's the ticket I could afford. . It was basically the farthest spot from the stage, but it didn't really matter to me because I really wanted to see it. The opera moved me so; it was absolutely breathtaking.
• I heart Obama. If you didn't get a chance to watch/read/hear his speech today, please do so.

Question: How do you relieve stress?
Darren (Mon's boy BFF): I have to run. It's like an addiction.
Me: I think I feel happier after pilates or yoga.
Mon: I find that HD Television does it for me.

Reunion Weekend

Reunion #1:
Mama Liu and I visited the Yu household Friday night. They're apparently distant relatives. We used to live across the street when I was in elementary school. The grandchildren and I were friends and played together, although they called me aunt because my father called their grandfather older brother. Anywho, I hadn't seen them since I was in high school so it was nice to see them. They were happy that I worked for the government and said I should stay there forever. We talked about politics; I informed them that Obama was not Muslim or a terrorist because his middle name is Hussein. They said I was a communist. It was a fun conversation. Then, it got uncomfortable because the following happened:

Adult 1: So, you should be getting married soon.
Me: (awkwardly smile) No, I'm too young.
Adult 2: You need to find someone rich. That's all that matters. You need to get married because your mom has suffered too much.
Adult 3: Yeah, you have to get married to make your mom happy.
Adult 1: Just find someone who is capable of taking care of you.
Adult 2: No, money's all that matters.
Adult 3: Just find someone at work. I'm sure there are lots of good men at your work. Yeah, just snatch one of them. You know, you have to plan it out. You can't just wait for men to come to you. You have to go hunting. (He actually said the word "hunting". I think I cringed.)
(variation of the above comments were repeated. Meanwhile, I'm trying to be polite. I don't say anything. I'm pretty sure my awkward smile has disappeared.
...
Then, I finally explode.)
Me: I'M NOT GETTING MARRIED.

Luckily, one of the adults started laughing and joked around that I should then find someone for his daughters. I glanced over at my mom and she looked sad. I felt bad for her. I wish I could have been a good daughter in that moment and just played along although I was so disgusted inside.

Reunion #2/Lake Elsinore Moment of the Weekend:
On my way to meet Mon for breakfast, this car next to me starts honking. I look over and it's Gil, whom I have also not seen since high school. I guess that's the city's charm. You never know who you'll run into.

Gil and I used to work together at the perfume store. I remember I enjoyed our closing times the best. We would turn the music up, dance, windex the glass counters and talk about what was going on in our lives. To see him again was a wonderful serendipitous moment.

Reunion #3:
Mon and I went over to Natasha’s St. Patrick’s Day party Saturday night since we were in the area. Natasha was one of our high school friends. She was always a fun, sassy and outgoing party girl. She never had any problems telling people off with a simple “uh-no”. She still is that exuberant girl. It was amazing and kind of comforting to see how she was exactly the same. Her rambunctious laugh is so contagious. It was nice to meet up with her and see that she’s happy.

---
It’s interesting reconnecting with people from the past. It can conjure up insecurities, memories, an old self.

An Odd Awakening

I woke up this morning with this strange feeling and overpowering thought: Things aren't going to be the same; I'm different.

Yeah, it sounds weird and I didn't quite understand it. I didn't know whether that was a good or bad thing. Anyway, that was the first thought that crossed my mind this morning and I believed it to be true and real as the sound of my alarm. I couldn't quite understand why I believed that statement to be true; I just did and couldn't help it. I went to work and walked into JJ's office. Before I even said a word, he said, "There's something different about you." I was shocked, but not really. At this point, JJ's super intuitive powers are expressed to me nearly every other day. So I asked him how I was different because I was curious and didn't have an explanation myself. He couldn't quite explain it either. I told him about my feeling/thought this morning and he said he believes I'm on the cusp of discovering something. "I think you're closer to where you want to be than you think you are," he said. That was nice to hear.

It's a mystery, but an exciting and fun one. It's been a pleasantly odd day.

***
I haven't realized until recently that I've been a "yes" person for most of my life. I often take on more than I can handle, then finally break down and get sick. It's been a pattern in my life, but I never bothered to do anything about it because I got used to it.

Recently, I was pretty stressed out at work and my superiors had a meeting about me with me in the room. Yeah, it was awkward. They talked about me as if I wasn't even there. "I feel like I'm playing tug-of-war with you for Grace's time." "Grace doesn't say 'no', so it's hard to tell when she's overworked." "I'm constantly trying to take stuff away from Grace because I know she takes on too much." It was strange to listen to everyone talk about me and I thought to myself, "Geez, what a submissive and spineless girl this Grace is. Why is she making everyone worry about her?" The conclusion/resolution of the discussion: I need to say "no" more often. The thing is I didn't realize I was taking on too much and that's the problem. JJ is constantly having to look out for me, but when am I ever going to have another boss like JJ? So, this is something I need to fix. I've already started practicing my new healthy way of working by saying "no" to two people today. I felt a little guilty, but mainly relieved. I feel thankful that my bosses are constantly taking care of me, but I realize I need to stand up for myself more. Plus, it must be tiring for my bosses to have to constantly protect and fight for me. The dynamics have already changed within the last week and it's good.

The Red Balloon

I remember really enjoying this short movie when I was a child. Every time I see a red balloon, I can't help but smile.

Feelings/Good

“You’re emotionally retarded,” Johny says.

I think it’s true. I know very well what I think. I have opinions, thoughts and can express them. Knowing, acknowledging and expressing what I feel is a bit trickier. Most of the time, people around me are telling me how I feel and I appreciate them for that, but I wonder how much is really true. I believe most of it is true, but as I’m delving deeper into my own thoughts and emotions lately, I’m discovering a new facet of me that is both scary and freeing. I’m hopeful for what is to come.
I’m pretty convinced March is going to be a good month for the following reasons:

• “G” Necklace: Some time last year or a couple of years ago, I saw this necklace with the letter “G” from an old typewriter at the farmer’s market and thought it was absolutely perfect. A couple of months ago, I couldn’t find it and haven’t been able to find it since. I was quite sad about this and started my journey into denial. Then, I found it buried in a purse on Saturday, the first day of March. I know it’s silly, but it made me feel better.


• Brain Fix: hopefully, I’ll be able to rest better and not be so emotionally retarded.


• No More Tutor: I finally quit. So now, my Saturdays are completely free.


• Light, Okapi and Flowers: Irwin’s light exhibit at MOCA leaves in April, so I need to get my fill this month. My zoo pass ends this month, so I’m going to squeeze in a few more visits. I haven’t been in such a long time. Since I’ll get to stay in San Diego during the weekends, I plan on going to the farmer’s market more often. I really enjoy the energy and watching people at the market. Plus, the flowers are so pretty.


• Easter: It’s my favorite. Death, Resurrection and new life! It’s so exciting.

Leap Day

An extra 24 hours. Or 1,440 minutes. Or 86,400 seconds.

What to do...

It was so windy today.

I park at the Civic Center every day and walk to work. When I usually come out of the building where I park, I see the coffee cart, notice how long the line is and wonder what everyone is ordering. As I passed by the coffee cart onto the walkway surrounded by a couple of big, beautiful trees, I thought about how I should avoid the puddle (that seems to form on rainy days) in the middle of the courtyard. Right after I walked by the trees, I heard a crackling sound, turned around and saw a huge branch snap off. The entire walkway was covered by the branch and its leaves. People around me started freaking out, asked me if I was okay and whether anyone was under the branches. No one was.

As I looked back, all I could see was me crushed under the tree. It was truly only a matter of seconds. That thought freaked me out and I pretty much ran away from the place. I was in a funk all day. I kept looking up in fear at every tree I walked by. I love trees. I felt sad that I feared them today.

"The tree waited for you because it saw something in you," explained JJ. I told him trees can't see.

My Nightstand

is very cluttered. I'm usually quite obsessive about simplifying/organizing things (e.g. important documents, socks, pictures, etc.), but when it comes to my nightstand, I can't seem to simplify. I actually took a couple of candles and one jewelry box off the nightstand in an attempt to create more space, but I quickly filled up that space with who-knows-what. My new thing is creating little piles, instead of scattering everything. I suppose that's better.

The clutter that is my nightstand:

• mirror,
• small heart (Andrea made for me),
• glasses,
  
• necklace box,
• two smaller jewelry boxes,
  
• three candles,
• a glass spoon where I put my rings,
• a lid,
• laptop remote control,
• hair tie,
• antibiotic ointment for my scars,
• doxylamine succinate,
• small bottle of perfume,
  
• eye mask,
• cup of water,
• clock.

I think it reflects the clutter in my mind.
I'm happy it's raining.
I believe it helps clear my mind.

My new roomie

for the rest of the week.

I'm house/dog sitting. Jack is an handsome old dog who moves slowly and is very set in his own ways. I really like him.

:(

Polaroid is shutting down. This news saddens me. What will I do without the instant gratification of seeing square versions of moments? Moments that can't be recreated or duplicated.

I need to stock up on film this year. I guess Fuji is still going to make film for instant cameras, but I've never seen them around.

Elxn Day!

I know it's only the primary election. But, any step towards change excites me.

Yes We Can

Robert Irwin's "Light and Space"

I spent my lunch break at MOCA today because I’m addicted to the exhibit above. I usually sit on the ground and simply stare. The piece takes me to another place where light transcends the limits of perception and all my useless thoughts. There are 115 fluorescent lights of varying sizes set in no noticeable pattern against a soothing light grey wall. When I first saw this, I tried really hard to look for a pattern in the design, but my brain started to hurt. As soon as I let go of trying to discover a pattern, the piece was both overwhelming and freeing. Soaking in the piece, I felt my breathing slow down. The sensory overload washed away all thoughts. I felt calm. There was order amidst the pattern-less, seemingly chaotic piece. Just perceiving the piece for what it was. It reminded me of a maze with no dead ends and I felt happy thinking of the possibilities.

Although there’s no symmetry, it looks perfectly balanced to me. This piece for me is a visual actualization of the sense and act of letting go.

Freeway Fatality

This came along the newswire and now I'm in a sad mood.

Date: 01-31-2008 4:29 PM - Word Count: 217

SD Freeway Fatality, 2nd Ld
Freak Freeway Accident Kills Homeless Man Sleeping on Roadside

ESCONDIDO (CNS) - A car driven by a teenager who apparently nodded offbehind the wheel crashed down an embankment along a North County freeway today,killing a transient sleeping on the hillside, authorities said.

The southbound 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt veered off Interstate 15 inEscondido shortly before 1 p.m., according to the California Highway Patrol. The sedan drifted onto the right shoulder, where it hit several roadsigns, caromed off a large boulder along the offramp at Ninth Avenue and becameairborne, CHP public affairs Officer Eric Newbury said.

The vehicle sailed about 65 feet before hitting the ground and smashinginto several trees, Newbury said. It then overturned and rolled over a 28-year-old man sleeping in the landscaped area, killing him instantly. The transient's name was unavailable.

The wreck left the motorist, 19-year-old Evan Barker of San Marcos, witha broken nose and other injuries believed to be minor, Newbury said. Medicstook him to Palomar Medical Center. Barker told investigators the accident occurred because he'd fallenasleep at the wheel, Newbury said.

I feel sad for the young homeless man and wonder how he became homeless. I feel sad for the young driver who will probably never be the same again. I don't know why this story affects me so, but it does.

A Few Observations

Kristine and I went to The Bravery concert. There were two opening acts: Your Vegas and Switches. After watching three bands perform, we've noticed a few things:

• there's always a power struggle between the lead singer and guitarist,
• there's always that one creepy, middle-aged guy at the concert by himself,
• twirling the mic like a yo-yo is cool,
• suspenders and sweater vests are hot,
• I have a thing for the shy, seemingly nice bassists,
• keyboardists are usually the nerdiest of the bunch,
• songs that involve shouts of "hey" are fun,
• if you ask us to clap, we won't (all of the bands were obsessed with clapping and especially making the crowd clap),
• but in general, songs with clapping are fun,
• bands from the UK are cute,
• the "frustrated dance" is totally the staple rock-star move. The main guy from The Bravery excels at this.

So, Kristine and I totally have a crush on Switches and especially Ollie (guitarist, excellent backup vocalist). We like him even more after we discovered his name is Ollie. His facial expressions were awesome and he had the sweetest smile. When the band first came out, we thought they looked like they were 10. I was quite impressed by their harmonizing skills. The back-up vocalists were stronger singers than the lead. 

Relapse

"That's what addicts say LiuLiuBird," said JJ to every excuse I gave him on my way to get my glorious two shots of espresso. I told him how it would be different this time. I told him I'm different this time.

I've been a coffee drinker since I was 18. I quit a couple of years ago. I figure it's not that bad. I really think I won't be as addicted this time. We'll see...

It was so yummy. 

Oh, how I long for

36 Hours in Cape Town

Reading the article and going through the slide show put me in a wistful mood.

I need to go back. Soon.

Release

It’s amazing how much better I feel after writing. When I’m sick, feeling melancholy, or generally feeling like a goober, I tend to write more. Ideas, little phrases just come to mind. I get to the point where I physically feel weighed down by these thoughts and I eventually have to write them in the little notebook Amy gave to me. I truly feel relieved after writing. Sometimes, I write down dates. Most of the time, I don’t. So, when I go back and read some of the stuff, I wonder when it was, what caused me to write what I wrote. A lot of the stuff makes no sense, but I don’t mind. It’s simply my reprieve from overwhelming and consuming thoughts. I know many people feel this way about music, art and dance. I always find that so amazing – how people can express themselves and create such beautiful pieces. I wish my mode of expression was dance. It seems so liberating and exquisite.

What's your avenue for expression?

Sick.

I guess it was to be expected. It's been a while.

Siesta

I wish we had siesta at our office.

• There was nothing more satisfying than taking a nice long afternoon nap after teaching a lesson at the boarding school in Indonesia.
• One of the most memorable moments from my high school Europe trip was sitting on the balcony of a hotel in Madrid and soaking in the moment. The emptiness and silence during siesta was absolutely beautiful. The street was completely different from the bustling and crowded street of just an hour ago.

I think taking a nap is one of my favorite things to do.

Live

I watched The Diving Bell and the Butterfly last night. The movie put me in a weird mood because it was so depressing and seemingly hopeless. Yet, Bauby expressing his thoughts and emotions with wit and creativity was so beautiful. The story was beautifully tragic. So, I think I liked the movie. I may need to watch it again. It was visually stunning. The imagination is quite amazing and I think I enjoyed the movie because it mostly takes place in his mind. I want to read the book now.

My life was a string of near-misses, the women I was unable to love, the chances of joy I let drift away… a race whose result I knew beforehand, but failed to bet on the winner.

Andrea and I talked about how we really need to live fully because you never know when you’ll have a stroke and only be able to blink one eye for the rest of your life.

(4x4)+12

Last night, Andrea and I went to a bar where they host a performance art event every second Tuesday of the month. Artists perform on a 4x4 stage in the center of a room. We sat on the ground near (a foot away from) the stage. We almost got kicked a couple of times, but it was pretty amazing. I found it quite fascinating to be that close to a performance. Raw emotion and expression. Andrea and I have talked about taking acting classes. Andrea's had experience acting and misses it. I'm interested only because getting lost in taking on the whole persona and emotions of a character really intrigues me. But, I'm absolutely terrified. Whenever I think about it, my palms start getting clammy. She wants us to try it out this year. We'll see...

Anywho, at the event, I saw the possibility for so many pictures, but I left my camera at home. Hopefully, I’ll remember next month. The performances were very diverse. They ranged from spoken word to dance/performance art. My favorite act was a trio of performers: a percussionist, an accordionist and tap dancer. I could watch them for hours. My favorite moment was when at one point the accordionist also played the harmonica while the percussionist and tap dancer were providing the rhythm. They’re performing at a bar/club downtown next Friday. I think Andrea and I are going to attend. If you’re interested, let me know. It’s totally worth a drive out to San Diego.

***
I wish you a joyous birthday, dear friend. Or, at least a less miserable day.

In the Present

A friend of mine is traveling in India right now and sent me an email the other day with an excerpt from one of his journal entries. Before he left, I looked forward to and was a bit afraid to see how he would change after his six-month journey through India, Nepal, Tibet and Southeast Asia. I was pleased to read his journal entry as he wrote about how this trip is helping him see the world and enjoy what it has to offer. Before he left, I joked around with him and said he was silly for having to go all the way to India on this “find myself” journey, but I was pleased to read that his focus has shifted from finding himself to trying to discover spiritual moments in everything around him. He wrote he didn’t have to sit down with the Dalai Lama in India or see prayer flags in Tibet to find a spiritual awakening. He could find it at home with friends, going to the farmer’s market or enjoying a cup of tea.

His email was a good reminder. Although our perceptions of spiritual moments may differ, I found it refreshing to imagine myself living in this way. I think I have lived or tried to live this way for quite some time, especially after letting go of the planner. But, it’s been a while since I really lived in the moment and focused on the joys of the present instead of being tied down by analyzing the past and uncertainties of the future. JJ always tells me, "live in the now, this moment. Just take it one day at a time."

So for today, I live in the present thankful for little moments of peace of mind. It’s one of those days when I find I have so much to be thankful for.

Exhausted

in a good way, I think.

I made a nice Reflect playlist. My favorite song on that playlist right now: "The Melody of a Fallen Tree" by Windsor for the Derby.

For the most part, hoping comes pretty natural to me. Amidst sadness and ugliness, I like to hope and see the beauty. Sometimes, it gets a little hard.

I'm trying my best to stay hopeful in God and trust him with my heart.

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast. . .

Storms Approaching

It's supposed to rain the next few days. Such beautiful timing.

From the newswire:
Cluster of Approaching Storms Will Make for Wet Weekend
SAN DIEGO (CNS) - The new year's sunny start is about to morph into ablustery wet spell. A tag team of Pacific Storms will roll into San Diego County over the next several days, promising periods of heavy rain, stiff winds and mountain snow, according to the National Weather Service.

On repeat:

• "Familiar Ground" - The Cinematic Orchestra
• Chopin's "Prelude #13 in F-sharp major, op. 28" - Maurizio Pollini
• "Il Secondo Giorno (Instrumental)" - Air
• "To Build A Home" - The Cinematic Orchestra
• actually, the entire Ma Fleur album by The Cinematic Orchestra.