Last rites

Perhaps not so drastic as that. But I’m pretty sure that despite the delicious food in Japan, there are some things I’ll be missing from produce producing, ethnically diverse California.

In the past couple weeks, there’s been a disproportionate amount of Japan-unobtainable junk food going into my system.

  • In ‘n Out (grilled onion cheeseburger! makes me feel warm like LA sun.)
  • Falafel wraps
  • Pintxo’s honey biscuit scone things
  • Deep dish pizza
  • Burritos
  • Tartine
  • Taiwanese breakfast food
Really, no one does quality junk food like America.
I’ve also been savoring all the fruit and the variety of green things to munch on.  If I recall right, good fruit will be both extortion-level-expensive and two weeks old FROM California.
Alas, farmer’s markets and open space, I’ll miss ya.  Off to fish markets and subway malls!
(sidenote: I’m writing this from SFO. Interesting demographic on this (sadly looking to be packed) flight – a lot of middle aged white females with medium length dirty blond hair, wearing conference tags. Why would you wear a conference nametag TO the airport?  Solidarity? And then the Japanes people, of course. Looks like senior citizens and a smattering of hip vacationer types; not a business-heavy flight. Then again, I’m on business, and I probably look like a vacationer.)

I like people.

It was kinda nice seeing all of you for wedding weekend. I guess weddings actually are cause for celebration, huh? I increasingly see why Shakespeare ends his comedies with them. Seeing everyone up here, and hanging out with the PA crew afterwards made me appreciate where I am a little more.

Sort of like travel fatigue at the end of a long trip elsewhere.   Something in you hankers towards home, and you remember what was there that made you happy so many times before.

As you all know, I really like Southern California.  My main gripe about Northern California is that the drivers are too slow (really, really slow), that the drivers brake when merging on to the freeway, that everyone’s a nerd, that good chinese food is way too expensive and hard to find, that…oh, well, okay. My main gripes.  My main gripe is actually the simple fact that it’s a little cold (I mourn for the “beaches”), and that I find it disturbing to find frost on lawns after Thanksgiving. (It’s simply unnatural.)

Since coming for college, and sticking around for another four year term, you might suspect that I’ve become a convert.  To be sure – it’s usually warm enough, and close enough to home that isolation isn’t an issue.  But it’s good to be reminded of how lucky I am to be in the US, in California, and in the area that I am, at all. And of course, to see the people instrumental in me being around, at all.

I mean, really.  Check out the joy on this gal’s face – simply because she gets korean food.   Korea house IS delicious, isn’t it? 

Of course, none of this deals with my workplace.  Which is apparently somewhat of an attraction in itself.  Which I often forget, seeing how difficult it seems to  be to get myself there at a reasonably early hour each day.

Come back soon. :)

Indoor rock climbing

A few weekends ago, I went indoor rock climbing with some friends.

After taking a one hour basic how-to-tie-ropes-and-belay class, the instructors gave us a day pass and let us clamber amok in the gym.  One of the things that struck me was how airy the space seemed, despite being an enclosed warehouse.  The planners had left the big warehouse doors open, so a steady breeze help the plastic and chalked innards fresh and pseudo-outdoorsy.

Difficulty for the walls scales from 5.1-5.15.   My first climb was a 5.3, followed by a finger straining 5.7, then a 5.9 which left me stuck halfway up.  Our group, in general, seemed to find 5.9 to be the limit.  One guy was impressively limber, and successfully did two 5.9s, but I couldn’t do either of the two that I tried.  5.8 was fine though.

I think I liked the experience, overall. Quite different from the (relatively) small Stanford climbing wall.
It’s nice to take on something semi-difficult (and yet you know that it’s doable, somehow), and have your friends shouting out pointers and support as you go up. Also nice to be able to sit back halfway up and take a break, hanging from a rope.

As always, pictures…

My friend Jess, stuck halfway up.