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Friday, January 9th, 2009
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12:28 pm
- updates galore!
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Yes, I've been ignoring my blog. No, I haven't been ignoring yours.
There's been all sorts of progress since my last update. We've moved into the new house and it is absolutely wonderful. There are still boxes everywhere and much to my dismay I suspect that isn't going to change anytime soon. The new furnace has been installed, the new roof was completed just before that last big storm rolled through the area (whew) and thanks to Black Friday we were able to score some great deals on appliances. That all being said, we're now crazy broke.
We've managed to get my condo cleaned out and rented in a pretty short period of time. Our new tenants moved in just after new years and they seem to be really nice. One of them is in the property management business so it's clear that they know how to take care of a rental property. Unfortunately, rent isn't covering the combo of mortgage/taxes/etc on the condo so we're still losing money on the deal but at least this takes some of the sting out of it - for now.
The wedding is in 8 days. Eight freaking days! It's amazing how quickly time has passed, it really does seem like only yesterday that there was still months of planning to work through, invitations to send, etc. At this point pretty much all of the details have been buttoned down and Ritu and I can just hang on and enjoy the ride. The next couple weeks should be an amazing adventure, no doubt about it.
And of course, it figures that we've managed to schedule our wedding/honeymoon smack in the middle of one of the most turblent economic times in history. Awesome. Needless to say, things have been very interesting at work lately and with my recently increased responsibilities it's taken a tremendous effort to line things up for a solid two week absence. On that note, I've been informed that when I return from our honeymoon I'll be taking on at least two additional teams which should bring a whole new level of challenge to my job. That'll bring the total number of staff under me to somewhere around 40 people! (6 of which are managers)
In this age of increasingly scary unemployment figures and increased economic pressure all around, it's at least comforting to know that upper management is more interested in growing my responsibility than they are in lining me or my team up for the chopping block. Or at least, that's what I tell myself when the stress levels hit the roof. ;)
Alright, that's it for now. Next time you hear from me I'll be married and tanned and just bursting with awesome. (okay, maybe more burned than tanned, but still...)
current mood:  excited
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| Wednesday, November 12th, 2008
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11:12 pm
- Fundage
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Our loan funded today! Tomorrow we close... and get the keys to our new house. So awesome!
But.
Ok.
So.
We're really, really, really ready for the markets and world economy to turn around so that this doesn't end up being the worst financial decision of our lives. For serious.
I suppose I should be stoked that I've got a job but I've been working lots of long hours lately and it's becoming awfully tedious. 11 and 12 hour days are becoming increasingly common, much to my dismay. Climbing the corporate ladder (or running in the corporate hamster wheel, depending on the day) is damn tiring, if I do say so. And yet, it would appear that more responsibility is on the way for me. Nothing is certain yet, but my team could very well grow from 15+ to 40+ people next spring with a little reorg magic. Madness, I tell you.
Even Ritu has found herself putting in extended time at the office. I do hope the two of us manage to retain our sanity through the rest of this house nonsense and that whole wedding thing in January.
That said, time to go sleep, work, and buy a new roof. Supporting that economy and all. :)
current mood:  exhausted
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| Wednesday, November 5th, 2008
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2:31 pm
- We can see the finish line...sorta
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So this morning Ritu and I signed our lives away. By mid-to-late next week, we will receive a house in return! (Unless I've just horribly jinxed us, of course...)
Now to coordinate with the homeowners association, install a new roof, install a new HVAC system, buy and install a fridge/dishwasher/washer+dryer, have the house cleaned, have the carpets cleaned, set up new internets, set up PG&E service, do some painting, move, clean my condo, and rent my condo. And get married.
Whew.
Did I mention that either Ritu or I will be out of town each of the next three weekends? I'm not sure how we're going to pull all of this off (on top of our increasingly hectic dayjobs, no less) but it'll sure be interesting to try. ;)
current mood:  stressed
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| Tuesday, November 4th, 2008
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1:23 pm
- Condo for rent in Emeryville! =)
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| Friday, October 3rd, 2008
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11:33 pm
- Wow
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Just got back from seeing Sigur Ros @ the Greek. Holy shit.
I've often said how much I love the acoustics at the Greek. This show slammed that point home like none other. Sigur Ros brought color and emotion in spades and simply never let up.
Oh, and nevermind the fact that rain started absolutely pouring during the last several minutes of the final, intense, mind-blowing song. They simply couldn't have planned it better. Ken, I think I agree with you; that may well have been the most epic concert-going moment I've ever witnessed.
Just... wow.
current mood:  Blown away
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| Monday, June 23rd, 2008
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10:29 am
- updates galore
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Yep, haven't blogged in a while, blah blah blah. Let's see if I can bring y'all up to date.
- After deciding to sell Ritu's condo and slapping it up on the market, we managed to get an offer on it after just one week! We're just waiting for the contingency periods to end at this point but overall the deal looks pretty solid. (of course, with real estate deals you never really know until the money changes hands so we'll see how things shake out over the course of the next week or so)
- As a result, we're now house-shopping with reckless abandon! Although we're still not terribly clear on where we'll end up, the Berkeley hills, Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill and the Lafayette/Moraga/Orinda area are all on our list. It looks like while we're just in time to capitalize on a shitty real estate market, most of the homes in the ideal neighborhoods (Orinda being a prime example) are still priced as high as ever, getting multiple offers, and are selling for over asking price. Go figure.
- Ritu is 80% moved in! It's a squeeze in my current place but definitely liveable. We downsized my uber desk to a smaller and more managable unit and filled the "office" with wardrobes and a couple extra dressers. All things considered, it's a pretty reasonable setup.
- I wonder if I'll ever stop saying this: Work is as hectic as ever. Seems like the stress never ends. That said, I did get handed a mighty fine raise recently so that helps a little. ;)
Okay, that's enough for now. Eight million work fires demand attention.
current mood:  busy
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| Friday, April 11th, 2008
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6:56 pm
- and so it begins
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And so what begins? My first day of the rest of my life with Ritu, of course.
What else? Golfing season! :)
Ritu and I made a very smart move and played hookey from work today. We had a downright tasty brunch at some random little vegan sandwhich shop in downtown Oakland and then headed off to Willow Park in Castro Valley to play a round of golf. How perfect is that? Yep, pretty perfect.
I guess it's fair to say we went to Willow Park in Castro Valley so that *I* could play golf. But still, Ritu had a delightful time reading, chasing geese (I'm serious), hunting for a noisy yet seemingly invisible wild turkey and making a few putts of her own. Good times. I shot a 103 which isn't fantastic (I *will* break into the 80's this year) but I'll take it for my first round of the year, especially since I haven't played in months because of my bum shoulder.
Speaking of which, can I tell you how freaking awesome it is to play a full 18 holes of golf in glorious, sunny, 70 degree weather and enjoy the entire day without feeling any pain? That damn shoulder really is getting better, finally, and my fears of missing a season of my obessively favorite sport have all but dissapeared. Granted, total recovery is taking longer than I'd like and certain movements still hurt quite a bit but things are definitely improving.
Anyway, that's all for now. I have a weekend to attend to!
current mood: happy
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| Monday, April 7th, 2008
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3:51 pm
- big news!
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Granted, most of you know this already but what the heck... Ritu and I are engaged! I popped the question on Friday evening and she was overjoyed, perhaps even a bit verklempt. ;)
We're blissfully happy and looking forward to starting our lives together. It's gonna be a crazy year... there are condos to sell, a house to buy, a wedding to plan and about a million other things to do. There's no firm date for the wedding yet but it may be sometime around February and will most likely take place in Phoenix.
Apparently, indian tradition states that I'm supposed to ride in on a white horse at the start of the wedding. I'm wondering if I can swap that out for an elephant... way cooler, no?
:)
current mood: excited
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| Friday, February 29th, 2008
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8:17 am
- iamzeniamzeniamzen
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Work has been intense lately. Seems like I'm always saying that but it's true.
So many 11 and 12 hour days... feels like it is becoming the norm. Had to unexpectedly scramble into work at 5:30 this morning to battle with UPS and customs. Shipping to the EU is a serious pain in the ass. Personnel issues annoy me. Inane management frustrates me beyond words.
I've taken a walk. I've taken a breath. I've eaten a bagel. I will remain zen.
current mood: Zen-ish
current music: Yasume - The Prevailing Wind
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| Saturday, February 23rd, 2008
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8:35 pm
- I finally get it
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I've never been much good at snowboarding. Until this weekend I'd been snowboarding maybe 5 or 6 times in the last 4-5 years. Turns out I wasn't really "snowboarding" all those times. I'm not sure what you'd call it but it definitely wasn't snowboarding. Anyhow, today I learned what snowboarding is.
It's true what they say about fresh powder: it does build confidence. During most of my previous visits to Tahoe to "play in the snow" (let's call it that, shall we?) I'd been blessed with amazingly warm weather, often well in the 60's. Blessed in that it is cool to play in the snow in a t-shirt with the sun blazing. Not so neat in that the Sun melts, destroys and otherwise diminishes the lovely snow, leaving something less than perfect in its wake. This makes snowboards more difficult to ride... and it can makes the inevitable impacts, uhm, undesirable.
Today I snowboarded in a near-blizzard most of the day. With a fair bit of surprise I found myself throwing my weight into turns like never before, carving endless waves of S shapes in the snow on often totally vacant slopes. In the past I'd been able to string together a few turns from time to time but nothing like this. This was something new and altogether better!
Seriously though, I finally get it. It is an amazing sensation to feel your center of gravity flip around while you carve back and forth, spraying snow like you were born to do it. Nearly a foot of fresh powder eliminates most of the icy, slippery spots and goes a long way towards smoothing the ride and making the snowboard a great deal more predictable. An ipod blaring Daft Punk's Live at Coachella mix adds a nice touch, too.
Good thing I finally ordered my own boots/bindings/board a couple days ago. I'm gonna need 'em.
current mood: Thrilled
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| Monday, February 11th, 2008
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11:08 am
- at last!
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Most unexpectedly, I found myself with nothing to do on Sunday afternoon. With remarkably gorgeous weather in full effect, it seemed to be the perfect time to head back to the range and finally test out my shoulder.
I can swing a club! Yay! I went through a medium bucket of balls with no pain at all. Despite the fact that the cold I've been fighting over the last week (combined with months of inactivity) left me feeling pretty weak, I had a great time. Sure, my club-swinging skills are definitely a bit rusty - but hot damn, I can golf again! I'm so effing thrilled I hardly know what to do with myself.
This will definitely encourage to me to keep up with my newfound PT exercises and even to get back to my old routine at the gym. Enough slacking, it's time to get back on track. Woot.
current mood: relieved
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| Thursday, February 7th, 2008
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5:21 pm
- a cure?
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Today I finally met with a physical therapist down at good ol' Kaiser. My doctor was a really nice fellow who was actually shorter and skinnier than I am which I secretly found very amusing. (a mental picture of him trying to to PT work with larger individuals nearly had me giggling)
Anyway, we talked through the problems I'd had with my shoulder thus far and the treatments I'd tried. We looked at my x-rays again and he had me go through a series of motions while he checked for pain and whatnot. Within 10 minutes he had not only figured out the real root of my issues but he'd proven it to me, too!
No surgery! No more shots! No more pills!
As it turns out, there are a series of muscles in your back called the serratus anterior muscles which play a large part in ensuring that the arm and shoulder are properly supported and properly aligned. When these muscles are weakened or other supporting muscles are too strong, the balance of support can shift, leading to alignment issues.
While the absolute cause of my shoulder flare-up is still debatable, the pain I have today is a result of impingement issues resulting from serratus anterior muscles which aren't strong enough; basically, my the ball joint in my arm isn't exactly where it should be where it meets my shoulder. The doctor was able to prove this by firmly pushing my shoulder "back" while I went through a series of motions. As long as he maintained the pressure, there was no pain. Without a the pressure, the pain would return.
Apparently this is a pretty common condition and can also lead to lots of stiff necks and all sorts of upper body ickiness. The fix? Three simple exercises, one of which I can even do in my car. Love it.
What about the calcified tendonitis? The doctor seemed to think there was a very good chance that it was playing the part of a red herring. The shot and the anti-inflammatories I'd been taking certainly helped to quell the original inflammation but now they were simply acting as pain-killers for a more fundamental problem.
In fact, I could have the very same calcium deposit in my right shoulder and not even know it. Regardless, I should know soon enough if this doctor knows what he's talking about. If I can consistently work on these exercises 3-5 times a day for the next few weeks, he believes I should be absolutely pain-free. We'll see.
current mood: hopeful
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| Wednesday, January 30th, 2008
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2:25 pm
- better late than never
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A couple nights ago Ritu and I finally got around to watching Sicko. (thanks ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) shiromaguro!) Yeah, I know you've all seen it already. But damn. Just damn... now we have to move.
It is absolutely appalling how terrible our healthcare system is in comparison to Canada or most countries in Europe. The fact that Michael Moore was able to sneak some ailing 9/11 responders down to Cuba and get them free medical care (which our own government and healthcare systems had been unable or unwilling to do) is positively absurd.
Today I had a physical therapy appointment at Kaiser to begin seriously working on my shoulder now that the cortisone shot has reduced the bulk of the inflammation. Turns out, they somehow mis-booked the appointment and couldn't get me in to see a physical therapist. And they're booked solid for a week.
I couldnt help but think back to what I'd seen in Sicko... how is it that citizens in Canada or the UK or even Cuba can walk into a clinic and get free, high quality medical care at a moment's notice while I have to pay $15/visit for mis-booked appointments and wait a week for something as simple as PT? And god forbid I should have a more serious condition that requires expensive or exotic treatment!
I know, I'm whining. Butbutbut... still! I was positively blown away by the fact that doctors in the UK get paid bonuses based on how healthy their patients are and by how many people they help to embrace preventative medicine (like quitting smoking), as opposed to how many people they manage to "see" in a given period of time. Throw in the absolute, undeniable greed displayed by the major health insurance companies in our country and it's enough to make you sick... or perhaps, to make you emigrate.
And yes, I know good ol' Michael Moore has a wonderful way of evoking emotional responses and painting one-sided views but it is awfully difficult to argue with some of the basic arguments he presents in Sicko. Throw in our declining school systems, our seemingly pathetic government and our flailing economy... and its enough to make one question just how wonderful this country really is.
current mood:  annoyed
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| Saturday, January 26th, 2008
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6:10 pm
- Light at the end of the tunnel(?)
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Not long after my last blog entry, I emailed my doctor asked if we could look into an MRI or something to get the better idea of what I needed to do to fix my shoulder. He responded and indicated that he was quite certain of his diagnosis and that he'd like to refer me to an orthopedic specialist to discuss my options.
When I met the specialist, she first asked me if I'd actually seen what the tendinitis looked like. I hadn't. So she brought up my x-rays on her computer and zoomed in so that we were looking at the space between the bones in my shoulder and the ball joint at the upper end of my arm. (okay, now I'm wishing I'd paid closer attention to all the terminology in those hospital shows..) Anyway, there it was, clear as day: a small mass about the size of a pea floating in the space between my joint and bones around it.. essentially a small collar of calcium wrapped around on of my tendons. Crap.
So we discussed options:
1) Major shoulder surgery where they effectively cut my shoulder open and go in to break up and remove the calcium. Long, long, painful recovery. Not recommended.
2) Major shoulder surgery where a "skilled' doctor blindly stabs a thick needle into my shoulder in an attempt to break up the calcium. Long, long, painful recovery. Not recommended.
3) A shot of Cortisone in my shoulder. Should nuke most of the inflammation and return me to a pain-free life for a period of several months to several years. Recommended.
So yeah, I went with #3. I'd really have preferred a more permanent solution but the relentless discomfort in my shoulder had become an terribly frustrating distraction in my daily life. Regardless, it's been a couple weeks since I got the shot and miracle of miracles, it seems to have worked. My range of motion is back to what it was before the tendinitis first flared up... I can feel the slight resistance in my shoulder (which I'd had for years) but it doesn't hurt.
Just a few minutes ago I went down to my garage, took out a golf club and tentatively worked my way through a few swings... with no pain! You should have seen the grin on my face.
Now I gotta email that orthopedic specialist and ask if it's safe to really start testing my shoulder with some golf or if perhaps this is the right time to start committing myself to some serious physical therapy in an attempt to break up that evil little mass of calcium. We'll see.
I cannot freaking wait to hit some golf balls again. Lots of them.
current mood: hopeful
current music: DJ Sodie - Afterhours
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| Thursday, December 20th, 2007
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12:31 pm
- updates
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I haven't blogged in quite a while, so here's the latest from my world:
- I had a large (penny-sized) mole removed from my right thigh. It didn't look cancerous in the eyes of my dermatologist but it had grown quite a lot over the last few years so we elected to remove it just to be on the safe side. The operation was pretty quick and I must say it's downright bizaare that they're able to cut you open and stitch you up without even the faintenst hint of pain. Three cheers for lidocaine! And yes, thankfully, the mole was not cancerous.
- I haven't touched a golf club in months. I was diagnosed with tendonitis in my left shoulder (along with some calcium deposits) and I've been searching for ways to heal up. As you might expect, the doctor prescribed anti-inflammatories and sent me on my way with a brief suggestion to read up on stretching exercises on the internet. It's been a couple months now and while the pills help the pain for short periods, they're definitely no cure. I've been doing some (limited) basic stretching but it hasn't helped, so I picked up some therabands (those stretchy things they use in physical therapy) in the hopes that they might help. Still, I'm thinking of going back and demanding an MRI or a CT scan of my shoulder for a more accurate diagnosis. Feeling like a gimp all the time sucks. It hurts to open my car door and to reach for anything above shoulder level. (which is most things, given my height) :(
- Work is more intense than ever. A recent reorg has me reporting to the CTO of our parent company. This means lots more projects, lots more visibility and potentially lots more staff under me. Hopefully it means a new title and some additional cash, too. We'll see.
Oof. Speaking of work, duty calls.... more later.
current mood: busy
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| Wednesday, September 5th, 2007
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8:43 pm
- To the playa and back!
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Burning Man was simply amazing.
The art was awesome and seemingly endless in supply.
We were blessed with absolutely gorgeous weather from nearly start to finish. Aside from some wicked dust storms on the first weekend and a brutal 6-hour white-out on Thursday, most daytime temps hovered around 95-100 w/gentle, constant breezes and evening temps were so warm that I rarely put on a shirt before 10pm. Come to think of it, I never even cracked open my massive bag of warm clothes!
Camping with the NGON group was a great way to spend my first year. Those kids know how to run a camp and have the tools and the skills to make it happen. Thanks to all of you who shared your camp with me!
Anyway, I made it back in one piece. Despite running around without a shirt under a blazing sun for a week, I didn't get the slightest bit burnt, nor did I gain the slightest bit of color. Hooray for SPF50. Or something. Feel free to check out the rest of my BM 2007 pictures if you're interested!
And yes, following up Burning Man with a trip to Calistoga for some serious spa-and-relaxation-time with my sweetheart was exactly what the doctor ordered. :)
current mood: happy
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| Monday, August 20th, 2007
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4:15 pm
- so pretty
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Thanks to uber-appreciated birthday donations from Ritu and my mother (along with a timely bonus check from work) I am now the ecstatic owner of some hot new golf clubs! I had these clubs made by a really experienced clubmaker in Berkeley. It was pretty fun to run through the whole process of club, shaft, and grip selection as well as the loft/lie adjustments.
I've yet to get out to the range and hit these lovely new sticks but I've got no doubt that I'm going to really like them. It's reassuring to know that I now have a set of clubs that were built exactly to my specifications... and that I can no longer blame cheap clubs for bad shots or generally poor play on my part. Heh.
Burning man is nearly here. I leave Friday evening for a week of art, sun, and madness. I'll actually be leaving burning man a bit early (friday morning before the final weekend) so that Ritu and I can zip up to the wine country for some much needed mud-baths and relaxation time. Personally, I can't think of a better way to recover from a week in the desert! :)
edit: The clubs were worth every last penny. Holy crap.
current mood: happy
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| Tuesday, August 7th, 2007
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9:57 am
- awww shucks
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So, at my work we have these all-hands meetings once per quarter to go over sales results and key wins and all the usual corporate stuff. They also typically announce some employees of the month at the end of each meeting.
We had an all-hands company meeting today which was our yearly overview. More or less the same thing as the quarterly meetings, just a slightly broader focus. But at the end of this meeting, after the employees of the month had been announced, the CEO mentioned that he had one more person he wanted to thank... and named me as employee of the year!
I'm seriously all blushy. :)
current mood: happy
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| Monday, August 6th, 2007
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10:33 am
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Out with the imporant stuff first: Ritu and I are back together. Like any relationship, the reasons behind this decision are complicated, emotional and strewn with drama. That being said, one of the biggest factors was the realization that I had been crumbling under the pressure of one of the most cliche relationship-killers around: fear of commitment.
You can all nod yours heads and say "duh, moron" but this really came as a surprise to me as I've been convinced for so long that I was completely ready for a serious long-term relationship. Apparently, that wasn't entirely the case. Regardless, it's clear that I'm going to have to fight for this if I really want it... and I do. Ritu is an amazing woman and I'm lucky to have someone like her in my life.
In other crazy news, I'm going to burning man this year! Despite the best efforts of many of my friends, I've resisted making this trip for several years now. The time has come to bust my burning man cherry, so I'll be heading up there this year for the full week-long experience. Wish me luck. ;)
Lastly... this is so cool I can hardly stand it!
current mood: busy
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| Monday, July 30th, 2007
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12:14 pm
- just when you think you've seen it all
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