on the road again...

I'm leaving the hated...well, not hated, but semi-disliked...boulder, colorado and am about to embark on yet another cross-country pre-job road trip. I'm rather excited about it.

First I'll be heading to Yellowstone, then we'll see where the road takes me. Maybe Portland, maybe Salt Lake City, maybe straight to San Francisco via Lake Tahoe.

Yay!

(yes this also means I'm moving back to SF. Let's get hyphy!)

Snap trap small

Snapalope Trap Game

A little game i worked on a couple months ago for Slim Jim Snapalope...now on www.snapalope.com. See if you can get past 7.

California close to my heart, and a blizzard

Frost on my car before leaving for San Francisco





Shayla at Alamere Falls









Dad and Karen at Hunan Homes



Tennessee Valley







Shannon



Dad and Karen's house



Karen's cat, Ditzy



Thanksgiving




Pelosi and my brother at Balboa Cafe



Football in the Panhandle



Muir Beach from the Coastal Trail



My brother, Ben






Holiday office party pre-party


What happens when you set up a huge video conference between two remote offices, Boulder and Miami--onscreen nudity.





The blizzard

Quick trip a while back to NY

In October I took another less-than-48-hour trip to NY. This time was the first that made me want to come back, though.

Nicky and I stayed on the 48th floor and saw a lot of Times Square, the conference we came for, Boards U, and old friends, Danny, Jed, Oscar, and more.

Snow? Snow!

I've never lived anywhere where it's snowed before.

Mid-October, it suddenly went from 70 degree days to full on snow. This California/Miami transplant was a bit surprised.

Snow and ice-covered cars are not much fun, though, I've learned. Shoot.

At least it's really pretty. It went from autumn colors one day to this the next. This is the view from my balcony. Yes, I have Tibetan prayer flags but that is not Boulder's influence over me. It's my dad's.

I love Vancouver

I've been working so much lately I haven't had a chance to do much. I have explored my farm neighborhood a bit on bike and nothing would have prevented me from going to visit my cousin, Jennie, in Vancouver to celebrate her recent engagement and 30th birthday. She and I are quite close and I love going to see her. She is amazing and I'm always happy to see her friends and her native city, too. I could live in Vancouver very happily.

When driving around the city I realized how amazed I was to see the ocean and...tall buildings again. Boulder is getting to my head!

Brunch is big in Vancouver. Jennie and me.



After brunch we went bridesmaid dress shopping with her rooommate, Kora.



Jennie's birthday dinner with her close friends. A lot of good food and a LOT of good wine.



Her fiance, Kelly.



Jennie


The next night, after we recovered, was Jennie's big party for everyone in her circle. Her stepmom, Inger, was there, who I adore. Also there were plenty of friends of my uncle, who passed away a couple years ago. They were all hippies together and many lived on a commune in British Columbia. My mom visited and was horrified to discover that they all used the same toothbrush. My mom was NOT a hippie, but she was good friends with my uncle.

The flying heart, or winged heart, is a symbol of this side of my family and also was a symbol from the commune. There were flying hearts everywhere at the party, both worn and on birthday gifts and cards.

It was a huge party! People were smashed! Shoes were thrown! Both good times and drama ensued!

balloons tied to both ears


Ice sculpture with luge for taking shots...







Kelly asked for a cake with a big 30 on it and he got--big 30.








If I could stay in Vancouver I would...but I flew home and went on a bike ride in my very rural, especially compared to Vancouver, town.

Abandoned schoolhouse



Snow-covered mountains