in tandem

there was a guy...

and there was a girl.

the two happily strolled along manhattan beach one early spring evening.

up and down the beachfront properties they walked, until they caught glimpse of a lone tandem bike leaning against an alleyway for disposal. 

hon, a tandem bike! exclaimed the guy. we've been wanting a tandem bike! it looks beat up, but we can make use of it.

what?! there's no way we can fit it in your car, replied the girl. and even if it is abandoned and ready for pickup, what if someone does claim it as their own?

after some deliberation, the two decided to leave it up to fate: if, after dinner, the bike was still in the alleyway, then clearly, fate had a plan for them...take it. if it was gone, then so be it.

and so, after a leisurely long dinner of lamb and squid, they made their way down the alley. and to their (hopeful) surprise, the tandem bike was still there. leaning against the same wall. alone. abandoned. ready for new owners. 

without a moment's waste, the guy and girl crammed the bike into the back of his car. how it was done will always be a mystery, a true exception to the laws of physics. let's just say an ace bandage-like wrap was used to keep the door from flying open, while the girl laid flat in the backseat holding it ever so tight.

carefully, they made it home. tandem bike and all. 

with the new addition to their bike family, the guy and girl rested well that night, dreaming of riding in tandem through the seasons.

up and running

it's official! g and i created our new blog, the dinner studio, and it is up and running! our first dinner is this upcoming saturday, so follow us as we dive into this monthly dinner-party journey. hope you enjoy!

converting

i did it. i bought the iPhone 4s. now, before you howl and holler at me for making the conversion i always said i would refrain from, let me explain.

yesterday morning, i was notified that my contract had ended and i was due for an upgrade. clearly, i assumed i would browse through the free or affordable blackberrys that were compatible with my plan, but of course, some deliberation happened instead. seeing that i was in need of a new iPod and a phone, mama suggested i go ahead and buy the iPhone. again, after MUCH deliberation, an online chat with an apple specialist, and some mental pro-ing and con-ning, i made the final decisison: do it. go ahead and join the iPhoneosphere. 

why, might you ask, did i have complete hesitation for making the conversion? first, i never want to become the "texter" - that person who blindly crosses the street without paying heed to the world around them because they are consumed with the keypad. second, i never want to be the "downloader" of all those irrelevant apps - the ones that lure you into drawing things with friends, wasting your time with angry birds, or mixing exotic ingredients for some ridiculous cocktail. third, i truly dislike the touch screen...i feel like i have shrek's fingers with all of the mistakes i make.

BUT when it comes down to it, 24 hours after making the grand ol' purchase, i'm very satisfied. in one day, i've already used the map to find a hiking trail; yelped a restaurant in santa monica; talked to my parents face-to-face; and taken lovely photos without carrying my camera. and while i am still a little freaked out by the Siri lady, g had a blast asking outrageous questions.

although i'm sold on this iPhone, please keep in mind, eager reader, that i will stick to my guns about some of my former reservations. trust you me, i will NOT be holding up the phone to the evening sky for information on constellations, and you better believe i will continue to deny any app that plays no practical (and i mean practical) role in my daily life. pinch me, and pinch me hard, if my life begins to depend on the convenience of this luxury. i've lived 25 years without it, so why give up my integrity now?

as i finally step off my soapbox, here are the first photos taken on my new (ahem) iPhone...

figuring out this instagram thing

not the most appealing photo, but keeping it real

this is how we do spring

welcome, spring. this is how we celebrated your arrival. 

a trip to the park...in the evening!

pre-dinner treats. in the park...before dusk!

market vegetable salad. yum.

roasted fish, perfectly stuffed with herbs and citrus. i have no problem eating you, dear fishy delight!

and then enjoying the finished product served over quinoa, roasted carrots, and kale.

on this first day of spring, i just may have died a very happy woman. or at least slept like an angel. i have a feeling it's going to be a lovely season.

eyes on charlie

much can be said about secret-admirers. those who swoon. those delivery-people of sweet-nothings. those optimists hoping only for a reciprocated butterfly flutter felt deep within. and how charming it is to be the object of one's affection.

unless, of course, the object we're talking about is your sweet baby, charlie.

as i laid my eyes upon charlie parked across the street this morning, i was suddenly startled by what seemed to be a note posted on his windshield. nervous nelly over here instantly assumed it was an apology note detailing what was "accidentally" hit and who to contact so we could "settle" the repairs. but much to my amazement, it was quite the opposite.

hi...wondering if you might be interested in selling your car. (phone number). thank you. (signed).


although flattered - or better yet, dumbfounded - i couldn't help but wonder who does that? nowhere does charlie display any possibility of being in the market. and to be honest, a note like that doesn't prompt me in the slightest to even consider selling him.

so secret-admirer, with that perfect penmanship of yours, let those wandering eyes feast on some other ride. charlie is with ME and he's here to stay!

messy business

let's face it: i'm in the messy business of labor and birth. to the ever-so-naive optimist, i have the wonderful opportunity of welcoming life into this world, taking part in a beautiful phenomenon. and to you, dear optimist, i can say i agree. but not until recently have i really acknowledged how uncomfortable, nasty, and plain ol' messy the process leading to this "miracle" is.

i attribute the delay in this realization to two factors.

1. the vagina, cervix, breasts...these are what i work with EVERY day. they are for me what a lesson plan is for a teacher, a mixing bowl is for a baker. "tools," if you will.

2. the things that come out of the vagina, cervix, breasts, and more often than not, the anus...again, everyday working material.

so i guess you could say i've just come to expect the physiology of laboring patients, giving high praise for "messiness" since messiness, after all, means baby is coming! but then, to a degree, i've also put patients' feelings on the wayside, instead rooting for bloody show, mucus plugs, and amniotic fluid.

thanks to two recent (and memorable) patients vocalizing their discomforts, fears, and embarrassment related to giving life, i have a new perspective on this whole messiness thing.

case 1: she broke her bag of water. was confused - is this pee or amniotic fluid? kept asking: why am i still leaking? when will this end? felt extremely uncomfortable with the constant dribbling down her legs. could not stay in bed - and rightly so - because she always felt wet. the old me would say: great! breaking your bag of water helps the baby descend and blah blah blah. and then i would change her pad. but hearing her discomforts made me put myself in her shoes. i would HATE to be leaking constantly. feeling incontinent. amniotic fluid or not, i would refuse to sit in a pool of it in bed. eww.

case 2: she was pushing. both legs were held up by me and her husband. the full shebang exposed for the imminent delivery. i guided her pushing efforts by telling her to imagine having a bowel movement. feel the pressure and push toward the rectum. she pushed perfectly - every effort bringing the baby down, and of course, poo. she knew it, felt it, and was mortified. all her focus shifted to "oh my gosh, i'm pooping," "this is so gross," "don't tell anyone." the old me would say: this is great! you are pushing exactly where you should. don't worry about the poo, i'll clean it. what matters is that you are making progress. but seeing how humiliated she was, i realized i would also HATE to poo in front of everyone. in bed. and then have someone else clean it. oh, and the mere thought of bringing my baby into this world with the stench of my feces...eww.

and so now, to make the long story short, i have utmost respect for these women who not only give life, but also suffer the messiness of this business. from this moment forward, i will imagine what they feel, put myself in their uncomfortable and embarrassed shoes, and do everything in my power to assure them that messiness is great, but your feelings are so so SO important!

on being smitten

i'm one lucky gal.

from the first time i took a bite with g and learned of his insurmountable palate, i was smitten. through our travels here, there, and everywhere in between, he's caught me off guard with his appetite for activity and adventure. again, smitten. and just when i thought i couldn't be even more smitten, he goes and defeats the menstrual monster with his sweet grace.

that's right, folks, he risks being the victim of barks, whines, eye-rolling, tears, and unreasonable amounts of complaints relating to the catastrophic effects of Mother Flow. bloating. fatigue. backaches. 


yet through it all, what does he do? he fills up the hot water bottle to alleviate the pains of my aching body. he makes the dearest suggestions for a sappy movie. or glee. and then he hides a dark chocolate bar in my bag, perfectly labeled "emergency chocolate," for use at my own discretion. all of these gestures sans a hint of fear. what a guy.

so i have reason to be smitten. in the wake of what is in fact a natural disaster, g doesn't retreat or put up a fight. he doesn't black out his calendar or draw devil horns on my pictures. instead, he listens and continues on with his charming self. or maybe he wears earplugs and prevents the wrath of the menstrual monster by doing these things before i even get the chance to open my mouth.

either way, it works. and perfectly so.

getting down and dirty

running. climbing. crawling. trekking. oh, and doing it in mud. on april 15th, g and i will put our game faces on for the 2012 merrell down and dirty national mud run. 


ever since the 1/2 marathon in november, i've been a little ansy, ready for another one. but with our recent trip to costa rica and my upcoming trip to europe, a 1/2 marathon wasn't looking so promising. at least not for the next few months.

and so enters this mud run. not quite a 1/2 marathon, but still challenging. outdoors. different. i think the best part of it, too, is that i get to do it with g. unlike the 1/2 marathon, i won't be so darned focused on my pace and finishing time, leaving g in the dust (and if i could be so honest, not turning back for even a second). but God love that guy and his non-competitive nature. the mud run will be a team effort, albeit tremendously messy. honestly, though, who wouldn't want to live out their childhood dream of crawling in mud? in clothes?!

i, for one, wouldn't miss it for the world.