infectious joy

Merry Christmas To Us!

2009-12-24T21:21:00.000-08:00

Big, huge, from-the-bottom-of-our-hearts thanks goes to brother Adam for his AMAZING work! The kitchen is (almost) complete -- just in time to host Christmas tomorrow.

And here is the reveal!

Kitchen Remodel Update!

2009-12-11T11:43:00.000-08:00

Did I really miss the entire month of November? I'm sorry! But I have a good excuse. Remember that kitchen remodel I mentioned before? Well, we're almost done! I know our goal was originally Thanksgiving, but that was kind of my goal, and I didn't really talk to the man in charge. "Do you want it done right, or do you want to rush it?" my super smart and lovely brother said. So, we pushed the timeline out a month. And good thing we did, because we've run into all sorts of problems (mainly that every wall in the kitchen is ridiculously crooked).

So I know I promised updates along the way (with pictures!), but better late than never, right? :)

It wasn't until Trip started demo-ing that I realized we hadn't taken a "before" picture. So here is the kitchen after he started taking off doors, taking things out of the cabinets, and I was rushing to cook a bunch of meals before the stove would be gone. What a disaster!

Notice the lighting. Ew.

Cabinets off!

All cabinets out!

The last piece of linoleum to rip up. Definitely something you should be doing in flip flops.

Peebs inspecting the work. I believe he was satisfied.

Walls painted. Now time to install cabinets.

Adam helping Trip. (Hahahaha -- we ALL know who's really been doing all the work.)

Pantry cabinets installed!

All cabinets built! Pantry cabinets installed! Lighting done! Backer board down!

The doors on the back pantry. Trip demonstrating how it will look with the pulls.

Got the fridge panel and the microwave vent installed. Cheers!

Look how dedicated he is! He even worked through an injury.

Microwave installed and working! (They had to test it.)

Placing the range for the counter plywood measurements.

How he is so happy with all the mess around him is beyond me. It's making me slightly insane.

Range fits like a glove!

All cabinets installed! Notice the cabinets all the way across. Gaining a whole cabinet. Woo hoo!

Starting to place the tile.

Look at that gorgeous 18" porcelain tile.

Last tile!

Kickplates installed and tile placed and grouted!

Cabinet doors installed in pantry. Just need to install baseboards and we're ready for the new washer and dryer.

Other side of the pantry.

All shelves, drawers and doors installed! Lemieux's turn to inspect.

Countertops installed!

So pretty!

CaesarStone Quartz in Pebble.

What's left:

Install sink fixtures (faucet, soap dispenser, filtered water faucet)
Install sink cabinet door
Backsplash
Place appliances (fridge, range, dishwasher, washer and dryer)
Install all cabinet pulls
Install beauty bars under cabinets
Install under cabinet lighting
Replace all outlets and switches

We're getting there!!

More Reason to Not Eat Meat. (I Hope.)

2009-10-28T11:39:00.000-07:00

Being a vegetarian, I can't tell you how many times I've gotten into discussions where people feel the need to justify to me why they eat meat. Becoming a vegetarian was a personal decision I (well, we), made. I have never given unsolicited reasons as to why I made this decision. I have never preached to others that they are morally and ethically wrong for eating meat. I never get defensive. I never ask people to not bring meat into my home, or to not eat meat around me. I never expect people to go out of their way to create a entirely vegetarian meal when they have us over for dinner.

So why do some people feel it necessary to explain to me why they choose to eat meat? Do I think it is morally and ethically wrong? Yes. Do I think the "excuses" are pretty lame? Yes. Do I wish more people would really stop to think about how eating meat is affecting the world we live in? Yes.

Do I say that? No.

Like I said, it is a choice. A very personal choice.

I came across this op-ed today, and I wish I was as eloquent and educated as Jonathan Safran Foer. He says so many things that I wish I would have said during one of my I-eat-meat-because-humans-were-made-to-look-at-our-teeth discussions. It's intelligent, informative, and just... real. (Please read the comments, too. Some interesting -- and annoying -- discussions going on.)

I'm very excited for his book, Eating Animals, that's due out on Monday. At first I didn't think I would read it -- I don't think I can bare to read another horror story about factory farming. But after reading the synopsis on barnesandnoble.com, I can't wait to read about this very personal decision he made, and why (and am particularly interested in how his child affected his decisions).

Jonathan Safran Foer spent much of his teenage and college years oscillating between omnivore and vegetarian. But on the brink of fatherhood -- facing the prospect of having to make dietary choices on a child's behalf -- his casual questioning took on an urgency. His quest for answers ultimately required him to visit factory farms in the middle of the night, dissect the emotional ingredients of meals from his childhood, and probe some of his most primal instincts about right and wrong. Brilliantly synthesizing philosophy, literature, science, memoir and his own detective work, Eating Animals explores the many fictions we use to justify our eating habits-from folklore to pop culture to family traditions and national myth-and how such tales can lull us into a brutal forgetting. Marked by Foer's profound moral ferocity and unvarying generosity, as well as the vibrant style and creativity that made his previous books, Everything is Illuminated and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, widely loved, Eating Animals is a celebration and a reckoning, a story about the stories we've told-and the stories we now need to tell.

A celebration and a reckoning. A CELEBRATION AND A RECKONING!

I'm hoping -- praying -- that because he is such a known and respected writer, this book will peak the masses interest, and the overwhelming evidence as to why a vegetarian diet is so positive will change some lives. One can only hope, right?

I read a quote from Toby Maguire (I know, right?) the other day that really resonated with me:

“I’ve never had any desire to eat meat. In fact, when I was a kid I would have a really difficult time eating meat at all. It had to be the perfect bite, with no fat or gristle or bone or anything like that…. I don’t judge people who eat meat—that’s not for me to say—but the whole thing just sort of bums me out.”

Totally and completely bums me out.

Autumn is Here! Kind Of! Not Really!

2009-10-20T09:58:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday we took The Peanut to his first pumpkin patch. It was a perfectly overcast Autumn day. And then the sun peaked out. And then is was 80° out. Whatever.

We got some great shots of him that you can see on his blog, but I also got some Autumn-y shots. Let's just pretend the air is crisp and we don't need sunglasses, k?

Oh My Goodness! A New Post!

2009-10-13T12:41:00.000-07:00

June 2nd was the last time I posted here. Over four months ago. Wow. To be honest, I kind of forgot all about infectious joy. It's been hard enough finding the time update Kieran's blog once a month.

But I went on one of my lame rants the other day, and it reminded me that I do have a forum for such rants! Where people don't judge (okay, let's just pretend), and I can say whatever I want (kind of)! Dur.

The rant itself was stupid (Why am I constantly seeing commercials for dark chocolate Reese's peanut butter cups but have yet to see them available ANYWHERE!), but I realized how much I've missed blabbing to you, my peeps of the interweb.

Obviously with a soon to be 7 month old (on SUNDAY! Why The Face!), my life has been a juggling act. Now that he is in daycare full time, though, I actually have a tiny bit of time to myself. Which I didn't realize was so important. My son -- our little family -- is my life now. How could I not want to spend every minute with him. I find myself missing him while I'm at work, knowing that smiling face will always make me forget how stressful my day was.

But let me tell you, being able to run to Target at lunch without a stroller, Ergo baby, or car seat is kind of amazing. Like, the highlight of my day. Grocery shopping -- almost too good to be true.

So it's taken almost 7 months, but we're in a routine now and have pretty much figured this whole baby raising thing out (I just laughed out loud as I typed that). The first three month were rough. Not awful, just rough. If we knew then what we know now, we probably would have done a few things differently, like, accept help and not insist on taking care of the baby by ourselves. So ya, having someone watch Keiran for 7 hours a day is a huge help. Balance is key. We all need family time, work time (debatable), and "me" time. It's so nice to... breath.

But the Johnson household wouldn't be complete without some kind of life changing thing going on. That's just so not us. Thus our decision to remodel our kitchen. By ourselves. (Okay, not really by ourselves since Brother will be doing most of the work, but we're not paying anyone we can yell at. Only each other.) So, taking advantage of Grandpa and Grandma visiting and being able to watch the baby, we began demo on Sunday... and life is crazy again! Hooray!

Kieran could care less, thank goodness, even taking an hour and a half nap through Daddy taking a crow bar to the counter tile. Mommy is slightly stressed, though. Being in a house of chaos and no stove kind of makes me break out in a rash. But it's temporary, right? The goal is to get it done by Thanksgiving. I mean, our kitchen is the size of a walk-in closet. This can be done, right? Or are we completely delusional?

Anywho, I'm back and can't wait to share with you how the kitchen remodel goes. I promise to post pics of the progress, and to give public praise to my brother, who we are the mercy of for the next few months. (Insert eyelash batting and big smiles here.)

Oh, and if someone can tell me where I can get those dark chocolate peanut butter cups, I'd be forever grateful.

In Case You Haven't Been Reading Kieran's Blog...

2009-06-01T22:01:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am still alive, and yes I am still blogging.

I just haven't been here (look here).

So being a mom is a lot more time consuming than a previously non-mom thought (that previously non-mom being me). Being a mom and finishing up your last semester of college is even more time consuming. Being a mom, graduating from college, and trying to keep your house clean is pretty much impossible. Try and throw blogging into the mix and, well, I'd rather sleep for thirty minutes. Sorry. Those are the priorities these days.

And really, I haven't blogged on my own site because my life has just been baby baby baby. I can tell you what my favorite diapers are (Nature Babycare). I can tell you all about how awesome the Quinny stroller is. And I'm an expert on relieving clogged milk ducts (after TWELVE, I had better be).

Not that it's bad that these topics have been my life. In fact, let me know if any of these subjects interest you and I'd be happy to discuss further. I just figured nobody would be particularly interested in the things that have interested me the last two months.

So anyways... Yes, I have officially earned my BFA in Computer Arts, New Media from the Academy or Art University. I'm super stoked, super relieved, and slightly... missing it? Is that crazy? Okay, I guess it's more the design work that I miss. Although that void will quickly be filled NEXT WEEK when I return to work.

Oh my gosh... How did the last eleven and a half weeks go by so fast? I am actually looking forward to getting back to work, but I start to cry whenever I think of being away from my son. I haven't been away from him for more than a few hours. I'm really really really not okay with leaving him. But knowing he will be with Grandma and Grandpa eases my mind a bit (that and knowing I can call them every hour).

And don't get me started on missing watching Martha and Ellen everyday.

But anywho, so far motherhood has been more fulfilling than I could have ever imagined. The first six weeks were pretty challenging, and I spent a lot of time crying (man, people weren't kidding when they talk about postpartum emotions), but half as many tears were of joy. Every day he does something that overwhelms me with joy.

Now that things have settled and we're in (some what) of a routine, I hope to be able to blog more. And yes, it will be about diapers and strollers and all the challenges that come with raising a baby. But I do still have my own life (I keep reminding myself), so I'll throw in some creative stuff as well.

Speaking of which, it's time again for the annual Academy of Art Spring Show! If you haven't been before (or even if you have), this is a must see. The artwork always impresses, and there is often some great work for sale. It's running through June 11th, so try to get there this weekend if you can!

Where:
Academy of Art University
601 Brannan St. (at 5th Street) (map)
San Francisco, CA 94107

When:
May 21 – June 11
9 AM – 5 PM (ongoing)
*Closed Sundays and Holidays

Kieran's Blog! And Week One Wrap-Up. :)

2009-03-27T13:45:00.000-07:00

I created Kieran's blog the other day, and will try my best to keep updating it as much as possible. Of course, it all depends on the little man. :)

So far, everything has been great. The sleepless nights are to be expected, but did take some getting used to. I think we've gotten into a pretty good routine already, though. We let Daddy sleep as much as possible during the night, as he has become our full-time housekeeper -- doing all the cooking, laundry, cleaning, and shopping. Although Grandma and Grandpa did start us off on the right foot, by cleaning our entire house while we were still in the hospital, as well as stock our freezer full of Trader Joe's goodies. Oh, and did I mention my mom weeded and pruned our entire patio?? And bought us flowers!

We went on our first trip outside the house yesterday. We had an appointment to have our car seat checked at Tiny Tots, and then went and visited Uncle Adam at work (look for pics on Kieran's blog!). We were going to go walk the Campbell Creek Trail, but decided it would probably be a bit much for me so soon after the surgery. It was just so good to get out of the house, though. And such beautiful weather!

We've had such an amazing time with him so far. And we can't thank our friends enough for all the love they've given both us and Kieran. Thanks to Amii, Rhonda, Nick, Tim, Jeannie, Andrew and Cindi for visiting us in the hospital (as well as bringing some great treats). And a big thank you to Mariyah for bringing us the most amazing salad ever one night, and LeeAnn for bringing dinner and Kieran's first birthday cake to celebrate his one week! :)

And I don't know what we have done without Uncle Adam, racing over and putting together the playard before we arrived home! Not to mention soothing Kieran to sleep with his radio show. :) Thanks Uncle!!

He Is Here! He Is Here! He Is Here!

2009-03-23T11:43:00.000-07:00

Trip and I are proud to introduce the birth of Keiran Connor Johnson, born March 18th at 3:39pm. He is 6.9 lbs, and 19.25". Mommy is still recovering, but baby is absolutely perfect. He'll have his own site soon, so I'll post the link as soon as it's up. And yes, there will be pics. :)

38 Weeks and Counting...

2009-03-13T14:48:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update. :)

I had a doctor's appointment this morning, and it sounds like baby is getting ready to make his grand entrance! I haven't dilated much, but my cervix has thinned about 40% she guesses.

My belly didn't grow this week (still at 37 cm), but she didn't expect it to. Especially since baby's head is literally pushing down on my cervix! She laughed because she felt the top of his head immediately. So that explains the intense pressure I've been feeling the past few days, and the need to go to the bathroom every 30 minutes.

Her guess is that he is about 6 lbs. 12 oz as of now. Any guesses on the birth weight??

Oh, and speaking of guesses, I've put a poll up for baby's arrival date. Please let me know what your guess is!! :)

As for me, my energy level has gone down a bit, and lower back pain has intensified, but besides that I'm doing well. We can only hope delivery goes as smoothly as my pregnancy has!

Today is my last day at work, so I plan to update you all more frequently as we head down the home stretch... It's getting exciting!!

Eighth Month Belly!

2009-02-26T10:53:00.000-08:00

I can't believe I only blogged once last month. This past month just flew by! I guess it helps that the last few weeks I have been knee deep in a huge social networking project for BlogHer. So between that, my usual work load, school, and getting ready for the baby -- well, life is crazy and time is flying.

And now here we are, entering the last month of pregnancy. The crazy has just begun...

The good news is I think we are pretty set for baby's arrival! We finished our birthing classes last week, with a tour at El Camino Hospital. I can't imagine not doing that dry run. It was great to see exactly where we should go (day or night), and what the birthing rooms look like. We even got to peak at a newborn. I think it was the first time all of this started to feel "real". I know, you would think after 8 months it would all be pretty freakin' real. But it's just so hard to imagine it all when you have no real frame of reference. Like, we love our cats. We love each other. We love our family. But this... this little tiny miracle. This kind of love is so unknown. So seeing that newborn -- literally just a few hours old -- and watching the proud papa with her... well, I probably don't have to tell you the pregnant hormones kicked in and I got a little weepy. "That will be us soon." Wow.

And soon is very soon. You see the floating baby over there on the right -- >> Well floating baby tells us we are 27 DAYS away from our due date. And as my OB reminded me yesterday, only 7 days away from full term. Although she suspects I will go the full 40 weeks (as most first time mommies do), she said we should be prepared for baby to arrive any day now. So the next few days we'll make sure the bag is packed and the car seat is safely in place!

Belly measured 35cm yesterday, so growth has slowed down a tiny bit. But my weight gain continues to be right on track. His heartbeat sounds fantastic, and she said his activity is great. Actually she said, "Sounds like he's having fun in there." Hee hee.

Speaking of being in there... the other day I told Trip that I am really going to miss baby being inside me. I've been so lucky with a such a great pregnancy that, despite some annoying backaches, I really have gotten so used to his constant presence, his movements. Of course Trip responded that he's pretty sure I'll appreciate seeing his little face and holding him more so, but I can't help but think of how I'll miss feeling him in my belly. Sounds kinda crazy, huh.

Okay, enough rambling. I know you all just want to see that belleh. :)

125# and 37.5"

At 36 weeks, baby now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long.

My progress:
One Month: 100# and 24"
Two Months: 101# and 25"
Three Months: 104# and 31
Four Months: 107# and 31.5"
Five Months: 112# and 33"
Six Months: 117# and 35"
Seven Months: 120# and 36.5"
Eight Months: 125# and 37.5"

Shower, Nursery, and Shoe Fetishes.

2009-02-05T16:22:00.000-08:00

This past weekend we had our baby shower, hosted by my sisters. It was wonderful. Beautiful. Fantastic. Overwhelming! The food was amazing. The cupcakes, "off the hook". And the company, well, what can I say... we were surrounded by some of the most important people in our lives. What more could we ask for?! And of course we (well, baby boy), were completely spoiled. It was a great day!

Having fun opening the bazillion gifts we got!

Thank you SOOOO much to everyone who came and celebrated with us. We are truly grateful. We can't wait for the little guy to thank each of you himself!

So of course, even though I was completely exhausted, I had to come home and unpack everything. The nursery is almost complete! And as promised, here are some pics. We still need baskets for the changer (to put all the diapers, wipes, etc. in... please ignore the mess as it is now!), and we have a toy box that Tripple is going to paint to put against the wall under the animal pics (to house all the stuffed animals baby boy already has!). So a few things to do, but soooo close!

All credit goes to Tripple for the idea of putting the decals on the closet. How cute is that?

Oh, and I thought you all might like to see that I am already fully aware that I am raising my husband's son.

Like father.

Like son.

Seven Month Belly!

2009-01-28T11:50:00.000-08:00

I know, I lagged a bit this month. Although depending on what book or what site you are getting your info from, your eighth month can start at 31 weeks or 32 weeks. As of today I am 32 weeks, so maybe I'm not a week late posting after all (and can you believe I'm in my eighth month?).

So, I thought I felt baby boy a lot last month. I can't believe the movements I feel now! And not only do I feel more powerful kicks and nudges, but I SEE them too. It's pretty amazing (or kinda freaky -- depending on who you ask. I say amazing!). The cutest new development this month are the hiccups he gets every night, right at bedtime -- although they don't make getting to sleep very easy. But hey, I'd much rather feel his movements then get a good night's sleep. Getting me ready for parenthood I suppose!

I only gained 3 pounds this month, but my belly measured exactly 30 cm at 30 weeks, so baby is growing well. My OB said my belly, "is big and round and perfect", so I'm not worried. :) I can tell you I am definitely not skimping on eating. I eat about every three hours now, which is the best way to keep the heartburn at bay. And now that I know my glucose level is good, I am definitely not skimping on the sweets either. Tripple surprised me with a chocolate cake the other night, and I've almost finished it -- all by myself (how awesome is my husband?!).

The nursery is really coming together. So exciting!! Uncle Adam has proven to be invaluable with his carpentry skills, building the crib and changer in no time and putting in all the new baseboards. We just have some rearranging and decorating to do, and then I'll take some pics and post!

8 weeks to go! I'm now going to the OB every two weeks, and my last four weeks I will go every week. We have an appointment on Friday for an ultrasound, so we're very excited to sneak another peak. We haven't seen him since 20 weeks, so we can't wait to see what he looks like now. Hopefully we'll get some good pictures to post. He doesn't like to stay still for very long, so we'll see if he cooperates.

I want to thank those of you that have already spoiled this boy with some extremely thoughtful and generous gifts. Trip and I are so grateful, from the bottom of our hearts. It's so amazing to know we are bringing this precious boy into the world knowing how much he is loved by so many!

Well here it is... Look at that belleh! I think the profile pic doesn't really do the belly justice, but I think the straight on photo you really get a sense of how he is filling me up!

120# and 36.5"

At 31 weeks baby weighs about 3.3 lbs. and measures over 16 inches long, about the weight of four navel oranges.

My progress:

One Month: 100# and 24"

Two Months: 101# and 25"

Three Months: 104# and 31"

Four Months: 107# and 31.5"

Five Months: 112# and 33"

Six Months: 117# and 35"

Seven Months: 120# and 36.5"

Eat Less Meat. Save the Planet.

2009-01-15T11:15:00.000-08:00

Ideal Bite had a really great tip yesterday that I thought I would share:

Don't wanna give up meat altogether?

The Bite
Try for a happy medium - go meatless at least once a week for ginormous environmental and health benefits, without compromising your taste for the occasional sustainably raised burger.

The Benefits
More-than-middling health payoffs. Compared to meat eaters, vegetarians have lower rates of diabetes, heart disease, certain cancers, and obesity.
Coming together for the planet. Livestock accounts for 18% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions and 8% of water use - and a meatless diet is 50% more effective at cutting CO2 than switching from a standard car to a hybrid.
Wanna Try?
Try cutting out meat one day a week. Meat substitutes and eco-focused cookbooks make it easier.
101 Reasons Why I'm a Vegetarian - facts to help you stick with it ($3).

I created a poster on this same subject matter for a course last semester:

Giving up meat just once a week is not only good for you, but the environment. Start a family tradition -- Meatless Mondays! :)

10 Weeks To Go!

2009-01-13T17:21:00.000-08:00

I just saw my little countdown widget (yes, the one with the scary floating baby fetus), and it said "10 Weeks to go". 10 Weeks, people! How is that possible! We have so much to do, so much to plan. We haven't even started our baby classes yet. Ahhh!

Okay, breath...

The crazy Capricorn planner in me needs to settle down.

In reality, we have gotten a lot done. The nursery has been painted, the crib arrived (thanks Mom & Daddy!), the mattress is on its way (thanks Auntie Nay Nay!), the registry is complete, the first aid kit has been put together (if anyone wants the list we received from our Infant CPR and Emergencies class, please let me know!), the shopping list for baby's essentials is ready to go, and the rest of our prenatal classes have been scheduled: Intro to Pediatrics in a few weeks, then our birthing classes, and then Breastfeeding Your Newborn.

So I think we are on the right track, got our ducks in a row. But that doesn't mean I don't wake up in the middle of the night thinking, "We have no idea what we are doing. How are we going to do this?" (that and, "Is this seriously the seventh time I've had to go pee tonight?" or, "Why is there a cat sleeping on my head?"). I guess it's the whole new parent thing, this feeling like we are no where near prepared for our baby's arrival. Anxiety is to be expected, right? This is normal, right? Hopefully? Please?

Oh ya, and then there is the whole name thing. We do have a short list of names we are considering, but we really want to see his little face before we decide on anything, so I haven't really stressed much on that (Let's be real, people... you know I'll be stressing on that in a few weeks. In due time.).

Everything is fine! It's all going to be great! La la la la la.

la... la...

la.

Yikes.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T16:04:00.000-08:00

2009 is going to be an awesome year! Okay, so the whole baby thing is an automatic awesome factor... :) But I just know this is going to be a great year. For one thing, I'll FINALLY be done with my BFA and Trip will be done with his credentials and grad school. We'll be able to focus on our wonderful son. I can't wait!

First, I should update you all on the whole gestational diabetes thing. So, I went in on Tuesday for the three-hour glucose screening test (I know I said I would go on Saturday, but I really didn't want to waste a Saturday morning at the hospital). The fasting part wasn't so bad. The glucola part, however, was even worse this time around. They give you double the amount of glucose for this test, and drinking that on top of an empty stomach is not fun at all. I thought I was going to get sick, but the technician told me if I did I wouldn't be able to finish the test, so I made sure I didn't. Pregnant and fasting = no bueno. Suck it up, girlfriend, cause you are not doing this again.

Three hours and three blood draws later, they couldn't get a full vial out of me for the fourth and final draw. The technician I had for the final draw was the same pregnant lady I had for my one hour test. Funny. She had to call over an expert blood person (technical term) to make sure what she was able to get was enough, and thank goodness it was. My poor little veins couldn't take anymore. Three days later and I am still bruised!

So my doctor's office called on New Years Eve with the results. My stomach dropped at first, as my OB said she would only call if there was cause for concern. But she just wanted to call and tell me my results were great, and to have a good New Years. Hurray! Chocolate for all!

Back to New Years (and chocolate)... Trip and I started the evening with dinner at La Fondue, where we literally ate until we felt ill. In fact, Tripple said we can't go there anymore because we always feel obligated to eat everything, which is way more than anyone other than Michael Phelps should consume in one sitting. So we said we'll just go for dessert from now on. :) Put a bowl full of bittersweet chocolate in front of me and suddenly I have more room to eat!

After dinner we went to Adam and Renee's for a really nice, intimate New Years with about 15 people. My friend Linda, who is due about three weeks after me, was there, so I had someone to talk baby with all night. Which of course we did. It's so great to talk to someone that is going through the same aches, pains and emotions that you are.

So now it's New Years Day, and we started it out right by cooking a traditional Southern New Years meal (well, the vegetarian take): black eyed peas (eating one for every day is supposed to bring you good luck!), collard greens (to bring you money -- we need that!), corn bread, fried okra and squash, and Nay brought over a green bean casserole. Dessert was more Californian -- a simple fruit salad of pears, pineapple, oranges and banana. I have a feeling we'll be eating the black eyed peas for a fews days. Does that mean we'll have extra extra good luck?

Like I said, I know without a doubt this is going to be a great year. Lots of changes, lots of big milestones, lots of great times with family and friends!

Six Month Belly!

2008-12-26T13:56:00.000-08:00

Six months! Third trimester here I come!

So we had our OB appointment on Wednesday, and I got the results of my glucose test. I'm a failure, friends of the interweb. The only thing I've ever failed in my life. Okay, I didn't actually fail. The official cut-off to be concerned about gestational diabetes is 140, and I was 139. So my OB, being the awesome and thorough doctor that she is, still wants me to take the 3 hour glucose test. Yes, three hours. Sad... I'm sure everything will be fine, just a bummer to have to not only fast, but sit in the lab for three hours on a Saturday. But as Trip recommended, best to get it out of the way this weekend so that I can enjoy my New Years Eve dinner at La Fondue (and that vat of chocolate!). I guess going from hardly eating any sugar at all to eating about four cookies a day probably hasn't been the best thing for my system, so I should probably chill out on the sweets a bit. The sacrifices we make... :p

Everything else is great. My belly measured 28 cm, which means baby is growing perfectly (Just so you know, the measurements I have been taking are around my waist. The measurements my OB takes are from the top of the pubic bone to the top of my uterus, and should be about the same in centimeters as the number of weeks of pregnancy). Heartbeat sounded good, too. Now is the time I start going to the OB every two weeks, so I doubt Tripple will be able to go to all of them (which he has so far), but I think I'll be alright. :)

My backaches have actually subsided, which could be due to the regular pre-natal massages I'm now getting (loooooove those!). I highly recommend a good pre-natal massage at least once a month. If anything, it forces you to lay still for an hour (something that gets pretty hard to do once the whole "nesting" thing starts). I'm sure the backaches will start up again as I continue to grow, so I'm enjoying the painless moments while I can.

We had a lovely Christmas Eve with friends at Adam and Renee's house. Four boys running around, all under the age of 3. Can't wait for our little guy to join in the fun! Christmas Day was a bit of a bummer, as I woke up with an awful sore throat -- symptoms of the same cold Trip suffered from early in the week. So we decided it was better for us to stay home instead of making the trip to Sacramento. We stayed in our jammies all day, watching movies, drinking tea (since I can't take anything) and taking naps. So besides not being with family, I guess it really wasn't that bad.

Hope everyone had a lovely Christmas! Oh, and here it is, the six month belly!

117# and 35"

Baby weighs almost 2 pounds (like a head of cauliflower) and is about 14 1/2 inches long

My progress:

One Month: 100# and 24"

Two Months: 101# and 25"

Three Months: 104# and 31"

Four Months: 107# and 31.5"

Five Months: 112# and 33"

Six Months: 117# and 35"

Happy Birthday to Tripple, and Some Catch Up

2008-12-22T15:14:00.000-08:00

Sorry friends of the interwebs -- I didn't post at all last week. My goal is to at least post once a week, and I would really love to post two or three times. So shame on me for slacking.

Last week was my last week of the Fall semester at Academy of Art, as was it the last week of one of Trip's graduate courses. Work has been project after project, and Trip was wrapping things up before his 2-week holiday break (man am I in the wrong profession!). So needless to say there has been some serious cramming going on. Good thing is that we really didn't do any Christmas shopping this year, so I've been relieved of that annual stress-fest. For the past few years, my family has done the Secret Santa thing, but this year I was inspired by a wonderfully heartwarming story I saw on the news about a company that decided that, because the food banks are so low this year, they would donate their $4500 holiday party budget to a food bank. So instead of drawing names, my family agreed to donate to a charity of our choice. Trip and I did the Second Harvest Food Bank and the Humane Society of Silicon Valley. Christmas shopping -- CHECK! Now next year I realize will be quite different, as our son's first Christmas is sure to be an extravaganza (to say the least). But let me tell you, I have definitely enjoyed being mellow this year.

Speaking of the peanut (or English cucumber, as BabyCenter claims a 26 week baby is the same size as), everything seems to be going along smoothly. We have our 6 month appointment this Wednesday (6 months?!?), so I'll be sure to give an update, with new belly pics. I swear, the belly (among other things...) has been growing on a daily basis. As has my appetite, so go figure. At this visit our OB said she would schedule another ultrasound, just to make sure my placenta has moved up. I'm so looking forward to getting another peek at the little guy!

It was Tripple's birthday yesterday, and we had a really nice dinner at our favorite vegetarian restaurant, with a few of our favorite people. My birthday gift to him was driving him and Adam downtown to see a hip hop show on Friday, then picking them up at 1:30A. I think that wins me some Wife of the Year awards, don't you? I was a trooper again on Saturday night, when we went to a friend's party, where we stayed until after 1AM. I figure I better let Trip have some fun before it's all about the baby. Plus he deserves a little R&R after a hard first semester at work, some pretty demanding graduate school courses, and all the extra works he's had to pick up around the house (painting, kitty litter duty, cleaning the kitchen and bathrooms, carrying things up and down the stairs for me, and cooking dinner most nights -- yup, he's a keeper).

Okay, I've rambled enough... I'll try to post soon after my appointment on Wednesday -- Christmas Eve!

Glucola and Truffles.

2008-12-12T14:34:00.000-08:00

I had my 1-Hour glucose test this morning, for gestational diabetes (a standard test for pregnant women between 25 and 28 weeks). I knew the glucola was not going to be tasty -- I can't even drink a Coke because it is too sugary for me -- so this was a bit of a challenge. I had fruit punch flavor, which actually wasn't too bad, as long as I drank it fast (you have to drink it within 5 minutes anyway), and didn't think about it.

I drank it in the car on my way to the lab, so still had half an hour to kill before they could draw blood. I was playing solitaire on my iPhone when the nausea hit me. I was a little unprepared for that. Trip warned me this morning that it would probably make me feel sick, but I didn't give it much thought. Ugh... sitting there for half an hour trying not to get sick was no fun at all.

So they called me exactly 30 minutes later to draw blood. I had a younger technician, who was very sweet and asked me if I had a fear of needles. I told her no, I just felt a little queasy. "Oh, that's why you look a little pale." No, it's December and I'm half British. I am pale. Thanks for pointing that out.

While she was checking both my arms and deciding on a vein, there was an elderly couple in the chair next to me. The wife was the one giving blood, and she was clearly not happy about it. She literally had both her hands over her eyes as her husband wheeled her in, and it took two technicians to calm her down. As soon as they pricked her she yelled, "OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW, NOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW," at the top of her lungs. No joke. Talk about an uncomfortable moment -- for her, and the other five of us sitting there about to go through the same thing.

Okay, focus on the technician.... She's sweet, she knows what she's doing. After checking each arm twice, she decided on the arm and vein she was going to attack, pricked me, and started filling the vials. As I was intently focused on her, I noticed she had a bump under her lap coat.

ME: "Oh, I just noticed you're pregnant, too. Congratulations."

TECHNICIAN: "Thanks!"

ME: "How far along are you?"

TECHNICIAN: "I'm seven months."

ME: "Oh wow, you look great!"

TECHNICIAN: "Thanks! Ya, I noticed how much bigger you are than me, and your not even six months yet, right? I mean, you're all belly. But it's so big already."

Wow, she is full of compliments, isn't she? Okay, first off, "it" is my son, so back off woman. Second, I'm proud of my big beautiful belly. It proves to all those haters that you can give birth to a healthy baby without meat. He's obviously doing just fine with tofu and beans, thank you very much.

So after calling Tripple and yelling at him for impregnating me with a freak of nature (kidding, of course. I just had to tell him that story), I went home, made myself a yogurt and flaxseed smoothie, followed by some truffles. To which my son thanked me by apparently doing cartwheels.

YellowPageGoesGreen.org

2008-12-04T14:29:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you, but it seriously seems like we get a new phone book once a month. First of all, I can't remember the last time I used a phone book. Umm... there is something called the interwebs, people.

So every time we receive a new phone book, we literally walk it straight over the the recycle bin. I don't even want to think of the carbon footprint of that whole industry. So I was pleasantly surprised when I came across the Movement Against Unsolicited Phone Book Delivery. Just click here to sign up to remove your home or office from receiving the telephone directories! Awesomeness!

Who ever came up with this brilliant plan, I love you. Truly, from the bottom of my heart.

Thanksgiving is for Lovahs '08.

2008-12-02T17:31:00.000-08:00

Man, am I exhausted. It's been a busy week for the Johnsons. Trip's mom is in town for almost two weeks, we hosted Thanksgiving, made a trip to Sacramento, another to San Francisco, and up to Summit Road to cut down our Christmas tree.

We'll start with Thanksgiving... My parents came the night before so that they could cook the turkey for all the meat-eaters (meaning everyone except Trip and I). There were 11 of us, and it was really wonderful. I filled up early on butternut squash soup, then casseroles (yes -- the broccoli casserole was a hit again), and of course dessert. And bit more dessert. And then some more. A few of us went for a little walk afterwards, which probably saved me from heartburn hell. Although baby did somersaults all night from all the sugar I fed him. Bad mommy.

Baby is thankful for Mommy being such a piggy.

The next day Trip and I went with Zack and Vicky and their kids to cut down a Christmas tree. Now, if you remember from last year, I did quite a bit of research and tried to find the "greenest" (as in eco-friendly) option for a Christmas tree -- which was to get a live tree. Well, apparently you also need a green thumb to go along with that live tree... something I apparently do not have. So we gave that tree to a better home, where it could be planted and flourish. After more research, we decided our next best option would be to cut down our own tree at a tree farm. So it was perfect timing when Zack and Vicky invited us along.

Purdy!

Saturday we went to Sacramento to go to my parent's house, and then headed to Old Sac for some piddling and dinner at the Firehouse (which, by the way, was one of the best meals I've ever had. And I've had some good meals.)

Adam and Nay watching the train conductor having a heck of a time trying to connect.

Trip, Rachel, Nay and I all took Monday off (and Amii joined us, who always has Mondays off -- great job on waking up early, girl!), and we took my mother-in-law to the new California Academy of Sciences. Another great excursion! The aquariums are mind-blowing, and the rain forest is truly a unique experience.

Leave it to Amii to provide the biggest laugh of the day. "Control, some lady dropped her hairbrush on the Living Roof." Hil-ar-i-ous.

The Living Roof... and Amii's Brush.

So it's been a busy Thanksgiving holiday, as I'm sure it has for all of you.

I'M THANKFUL FOR:

The most amazing partner, the love of my life, my best friend.
The most loving and caring family a girl could ever ask for. I know without a doubt any of us would do anything for each other.
The best in-laws in the world. Like, for reals.
Friends that love me unconditionally, just as I love them.
Two kitties that always seem to know when we need a kissy or some nuggles.
And of course, our amazing little miracle, that now moves whenever he hears his daddy whistle. <sniff sniff>

Easy -- And DELICIOUS -- Broccoli Casserole

2008-11-21T09:34:00.000-08:00

On my first visit to North Carolina to visit my mother-in-law, oh about 6 years ago, she made us a wonderful Christmas dinner. I left that visit with three recipes that have now become tradition with my family as well. In fact, I have many friends that have requested those recipes after having joined us at one of our holiday meals. By that far the most popular is this Broccoli Casserole. And the best part -- it's super easy!

Casserole Ingredients:

10 oz. package frozen broccoli (or I use two bunches of fresh broccoli)
1 can cream of mushroom soup (I use the reduced fat Campbells)
1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar (I usually double this :p)
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup mayonnaise (low-fat works great)
1 egg, beaten

Topping Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter (Start with this and add more if needed. I usually end up using a whole stick! For reducing the fat, try Smart Balance 50/50)
Ritz crackers, crumbled (Enough to cover top of casserole. I crumble one pack in a zip lock bag and gradually add to the melted butter. And yes, there is a Reduced Fat version that is just as tasty.)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.
Cook broccoli according to directions, omit salt (or steam to crisp/tender if using fresh broccoli). Drain well and put in 10" x 6" casserole dish
Mix all remaining ingredients (except Ritz cracker mixture) in large mixing bowl. Pour over broccoli.
Melt butter over low heat and add crumbled Ritz crackers. Top casserole with Ritz cracker mixture (make more if you need to).
Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes (you want topping to be golden brown).

If you try it, please let me know how it turns out!

Five Month Belly!

2008-11-20T09:24:00.000-08:00

Five months -- can you believe it? Next week, Thanksgiving... then soon after Christmas... next thing you know I'll be posting baby pics! Okay, I'm getting a bit ahead of myself, I know. But I just can't believe how fast time has flown by. My mommy friends all tell me to enjoy this, because the last month craaaaaawls. So I am!

Let's see... this month the belly ring had to come out. I took a straight-on shot so you all can see that it looks like my belly button will probably pop out. I'm pretty dang close. Tripple is a little freaked out by it, but I think it's cute.

I think I'm huge already, but my mom's last reaction was, "Is that all?". I didn't gain any weight the first week of my fifth month, and then only half a pound the second week, but I quickly made up for it and gained 4 pounds total this month. I've really been into baking lately, so the cookies have probably helped. :) And late night hunger started this week, so I'll need to stock the fridge with some quick and easy snacks for midnight munchies.

Baby boy is very active. I feel him moving around all the time, particularly when I'm getting ready to eat (demanding baby already!). Tripple and Auntie Nay both have felt light movements! I can't wait for Tripple to feel him like I feel him (well obviously not exactly how I feel him... just more strength to those little kicks).

We started work on the nursery this month. We're at least getting the painting done before my mother-in-law arrives on Sunday. Tripple is almost done, actually. Just another coat and touch-up. It's frustrating not being able to help, but there are plenty of other things for me to do.

Baby boy is spoiled already! My mom and dad bought him his first present -- a fully functioning collectors train set. Auntie Nay bought baby a super cute turtle that lights up the ceiling with constellations. My friend Desiree's daughter Zoe picked out his first teddy bear. And I hear my mother-in-law has been doing some shopping out there in NC (no surprises there :p). Not only are we blessed with this wonderful gift of life, but our son is already blessed with such kind and generous family and friends! How fortunate are we?!?

So here it is -- the five month belly:

112# and 33"

Baby has stretched to the size of a spaghetti squash, weighs almost a pound, and is nearly 11 inches.

PHOTO: BabyCenter

My progress:
One Month: 100# and 24"
Two Months: 101# and 25"
Three Months: 104# and 31"
Four Months: 107# and 31.5"
Five Months: 112# and 33"

I Heart The Shiba Inu Puppy Cam.

2008-11-14T18:47:00.000-08:00

This might very well be the cutest thing I have ever seen in my entire life.

Introducing Autumn, Ayumi, Amaya, Aki, Akoni and Ando -- the cutest Shiba Inu puppies EVER (as they proclaim, and I undoubtably agree with). The Shiba Inu Puppy Cam streams daily, and is officially my new obsession.

YES WE CAN!

2008-11-05T11:32:00.000-08:00

I don't know if it's the pregnancy hormones, or that fact that we took part in history yesterday, but my God I was moved last night. During the campaign I never really thought about Obama being the first African American president because, well, he never emphasized it. I thought of him as bringing the change we needed in this country. I thought of him being the Democrat in office that I have wanted for the past eight years.

But after they announced the win in Ohio, this historic occasion started to hit me. And then even more during John McCain's speech. Now, regardless of what you think of this man or his political party, you can't deny that was one of the most powerful concession speeches in recent memory.

And then it was Obama's acceptance speech, where out in the crowd you saw the emotional faces of Jesse Jackson, Oprah Winfrey, and numerous African American people.

And then his words -- I was breathless. Chills even.

Now I know this doesn't mean puppy dogs and rainbows (wait, I guess it does mean at least one puppy dog!), but it does mean that change is going to come. As Obama said himself,

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America - I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you - we as a people will get there.

President-elect Obama, yes we can.

A huge virtual hug to all the red-to-blue states that helped make this happen (is North Carolina officially a blue state now?! Hooray!).

Halloween Costume 2008: Juno

2008-11-04T12:28:00.000-08:00

So this year was another throw something together at the last minute. And being four months pregnant limited me a bit. So I figured, why not integrate the belly. :p

My sister actually suggested the Juno costume idea about a month ago, but as always, Halloween snuck up on us. So after a trip to Target last week, I thought I would cruise the mall and see if anything popped out at me. I stopped in at Hot Topic, and as I was looking through the clearance rack, found Bleeker's T-Shirt from Juno -- on clearance for $8. Sweet. Costume decision made.

So for the rest of Trip's costume, he found the yellow shorts at a discount shop for $6 (which I hemmed). I then found the socks at Big 5 for about $5, along with the wrist bands and headband for $1 each. Those were white, so I ran over to Michael's for some yellow dye, and that took care of the rest of his costume. (If you know Trip, you know he has a million sneakers, so I made him work with something he had. Which, of course, was a pair of sneakers with yellow on them, that matched his outfit perfectly.)

As for me, on that same shopping trip at the mall I went into Forever 21, where I found the orange stripped shirt for about $6, and the skirt for about $15 (both of which I can work into my wardrobe later on). The jeans, hoodie and sneaks were mine.

The only other added additions was the orange Tic Tacs for Bleeker (you can see them tucked into Trip's socks), and the Big Gulp I carried around with me (filled with water of course). Oh, and I used some Bumble black hair powder to cover my blond chunks. And there you have it.

Okay, so there are some obvious differences here. 1.) I'm not nearly as far along as she was in the movie poster. 2.) Bleeker isn't covered in tattoos.

So this is the Johnsons' interpretation. :)

How To Buy Organic and Not Go Broke.

2008-10-29T11:03:00.000-07:00

Trip and I went shopping at Trader Joe's on Sunday, and noticed a few of our staple items had gone up in price. We usually buy all organic, but with the ever increasing prices of produce, we've had to put some items back on the shelf.

Well, no need to skip the bananas. Just skip paying the extra dollar on organic. Vegetarian Times recently had an article on "How To Buy Organic," with a list from the Environmental Working Group of the 12 most pesticide-laden conventionally grown fresh fruit and vegetables. So here's the list of the produce items where you shouldn't penny-pinch (buy organic):

Peaches
Apples
Bell Peppers
Celery
Nectarines
Strawberries
Cherries
Lettuce
Grapes (imported)
Pears
Spinach
Potatoes

In general, thin-skinned vegetables that grow underground can absorb pesticides and heavy metals, so organic is best. So fruits and vegetables such as avocados, bananas, mangoes are okay to buy nonorganic. Also, there are quite a few fruits and vegetables that do not appeal to pests and are rarely treated with pesticides, thus have low pesticide residues (if any): asparagus, broccoli, corn, eggplant, garlic, onions, rhubarb, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, zucchini, blueberries, cantaloupe, grapes (domestic), grapefruit and watermelon. These are all okay to buy nonorganic.

As for dairy, it's best to always buy organic. In particular, organic milk contains no hormones or antibiotics, so is highly recommended. I know, $7 for a gallon of milk seems ridiculous. But trust me, there is a huge taste difference (I drink milk all the time now! Could also be the pregnancy thing, but it really does taste better.)

Another thing to keep in mind is buying local. According to Vegetarian Times, not only do some farmers claim that after the food industry took over the "buy organic" philosophy they often ignore traditional organic values such as sustainability and a connection to the local economy, but there are certain highly perishable foods whose flavor and nutrients are so dependent on freshness that it pays to buy local whenever possible. So hit up those farmer's markets! Even if they are not certified organic, they can be a great way to put the freshest, tastiest food on your plate while supporting your local economy and helping the environment. Who wouldn't want that!

We're Having a Boy!

2008-10-27T15:25:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in my Four Month Belly! post, we had a little scare last Monday that prompted a visit to the doctor. To make sure everything was okay, she did an ultrasound. During the ultrasound the doctor said, "I think I know what you are having..."

"Can you tell us?" I asked.

"Well, I think you're having a girl. I can't be certain, because baby is straddling the umbilical cord, but see that..."

[She points to some blurry image that apparently made up girl parts.]

So of course Trip and I translate "can't be certain" as "you're having a baby girl!" So all week we had it in our heads that we were having a girl. Trip bought a book of baby names and we didn't even look in the boy section. We were already disagreeing on the shade of pink we would paint the nursery.

Fast forward to Friday, our second trimester ultrasound. Now, our OB had warned us that some technicians can be pretty testy, perhaps even a bit cold. But we were so fortunate -- our technician rocked. She was definitely all business in the beginning, but just thoroughly explained what the process was going to be, and said her main concern was our baby. She asked us if we wanted to know the sex, and that she would tell us during the warm and fuzzy family part at the end of the exam, after about 30 minutes of seriousness.

So during the important, serious, technical, don't-talk-to-me-because-I-am-concentrating exam, she says, "Well, I know what you are having. Quick, tell me your guesses."

"Girl."

"Girl, huh. Well, you're wrong. It's a boy. See, there's his wiener."

(Apparently the important, serious, technical term is "wiener".)

A boy. Oh my goodness, a boy! Of course we were both shocked at first, only because we were so certain we were having a girl. But that quickly faded for both of us as soon as we thought of our beautiful baby boy. We can't wait to meet him! I must have cried five times that day thinking about him...

Tears of joy for our Baby Boy Johnson.

(Or, "Baby Boy with a Johnson" as our technician proudly joked. Did I mention already how much we loved her?)

Four Month Belly!

2008-10-22T11:10:00.000-07:00

Well, I "popped" this month. It's actually good to be past the looks-like-I've-let-myself-go belly and on to the full on preggers belly.

107# and 31.5"
It's hard to believe that I only grew half an inch this month, but I think everything has rounded out and moved to the front. :)

Baby is as big as a bell pepper and weighs almost 7 ounces, and is about 5 1/2 inches, head to bottom.

PHOTO: BabyCenter

I really can't believe it's been four months. Wow. Time flies. We're almost half way through! How is that even possible?! And so far I really can't complain. My energy level is back, but I still do get tired in the mid-afternoon. That kind of sucks on the days when I'm in the office, but I deal. I've been going to the gym pretty regularly, which I think is helping me feel good overall. I met another mommy-to-be at the gym, who is due any day now, and she said the best advice she could give me is to keep working out. This is her second, and she said that even with a rough first trimester, she has felt so much better this time around because she has been consistent with working out. And let me tell you, mommy was working out! Lifting weights, using the medicine ball, working up a sweat on the treadmill. She's my new inspiration! So I try to stick to this schedule: cardio and weights Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; prenatal yoga on Tuesdays; and hike on Thursdays. Weekends are for relaxation and rejuvenation. :)

The hefty appetite definitely started this month. I've suffered from some pretty uncomfortable heartburn and indigestion (probably due to my tiny torso), but it hasn't stopped me from eating! I've had more salt cravings than sweet, which is odd for me. (Kettle chips and onion dip... Yum...) But I still have my dark chocolate every night (a pre-pregnancy ritual). Despite the pigging out, my weight gain is right on track -- a pretty consistent pound a week.

We had a bit of a scare Monday with some mild contractions, but the doctor had us come in and everything seems to be okay. Just the thought of anything being wrong with our baby sent me on an emotional roller coaster. All I could focus on was our little peanut, and making sure he/she is perfect. I guess it was my first taste of how overwhelming the unconditional love that comes with being a parent is. Let me tell you, as soon as I saw that little heart beating, I felt my entire body relax. And any time we can get a sneak peak at baby is fine by us!

We have our second trimester ultrasound on Friday, so keep your fingers crossed that everything is going well, and that baby cooperates and we are able to find out the gender. I just put a poll up in my sidebar, so let me know your guess!

My progress:

One Month: 100# and 24"
Two Months: 101# and 25"
Three Months: 104# and 31"
Four Months: 107# and 31.5"

The Amy Winehouse Halloween Costume How-To.

2008-10-14T12:06:00.001-07:00

So it looks like Amy Winehouse will be a popular costume choice again this year. I've gotten over a thousand hits so far this week to my post from last year, and have also gotten many inquires regarding how I put my costume together. So I thought I would give the interested parties a quick rundown of my Amy Winehouse interpretation (if I can remember it all):

The wig - This, of course, being the most important element of the costume. This was actually two wigs pinned together. The bottom one, which was on my head, had bangs. The top one was an old Elvira wig. I stuffed it with styrofoam balls and teased the heck out of it, then pinned it to the crown of the other wig. Then it was just a matter of twisting and pinning all the hanging hair up to the beehive. Be prepared with A LOT of bobby pins. (Must give thanks to my friend Amii for helping with the endeavor, and providing the wig head to make it all a bit easier to construct).
The tattoos - Unfortunately I can't remember the exact online store I bought these from, but I can tell you I used multiple images of Amy Winehouse to make sure I got some that were pretty similar to hers. I also placed them in the right spots. Try doing a search for "Pin-up girl tattoo" and "Sailor tattoo". Refer to my original post for images. There are also some great tattoos of scars and cuts that would work well, if you wanted to represent Amy circa 2008 (poor thing).
The clothes - This was actually the easy part. White tank top with red bra underneath, short skirt, platform sandals, a bunch of necklaces and some big plastic earrings. Again, search for images of Amy for inspiration. If you don't already have appropriate clothes, try a secondhand store like Goodwill. Or buy cheap at Target.
Make-up - The eyes are the focus here, and a must. Lots and lots of eyeliner. Black, thick, and going out to a point is necessary. Red lips are good, too. I had a picture of her next to me while I applied my make-up to make sure I got it pretty close.
The piercing - I just glued a tiny crystal just above my lip. You can find a bag of really cheap ones at the fabric store.

So that's it. I was fortunate that I already had the clothes and the black wig with bangs from my Gogo Yubari costume the year before, and I borrowed the old Elvira wig from my sister-in-law (if you do borrow a wig, keep in mind you'll be teasing the hell out of it). The main expense was the tattoos (which was around $20). Give yourself plenty of time for shipping so you don't have to pay the ridiculous overnight charges.

Good luck and please let me know if you have anymore more questions!

First Purchase For Baby.

2008-10-09T10:18:00.000-07:00

We purchased our very first item for baby recently -- a new car. :)

Like most new parents, safety is a huge concern for us, so we traded in our Escape for an '08 Honda Pilot. Reviewers applauded the 2008 Honda Pilot for its safety precautions, as is also reflected in its five-out-of-five ratings in government crash tests. The Pilot was also named a "Top Safety Pick" by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

We had our first carload over the weekend, with six adults and one car seat carrying a one-year-old. We all fit great! (Although my sister-in-law complained that the third row was a bit tight. My brother thought it was just fine.)

For purely aesthetic reasons we picked the '08 over the '09. We weren't digging the Hummer-esque front grill of the '09. And with a DVD player, we knew it was the one for us.

Don't accuse us of not helping the economy. :)

2009 Calendars From the Talented Anna Cote

2008-10-08T10:03:00.000-07:00

Last year I stumbled upon a wonderful designer on Etsy. I was looking for a unique, bold print calendar, and her screen printed ones were exactly what I was looking for. I put them up in my cubical at work, and got many compliments (not to mention a cheery, happy workspace!).

I received an email from her last week that her 2009 Screen Printed Botanical Desk Calendar is now available for sale on Etsy. She sold out last year, so act now if you are interested! I just bought mine!

You can find them here.

MUTO.

2008-09-30T14:22:00.000-07:00

At 7 minutes and 26 seconds, I realize this is a bit of a long video to post. But seriously, this is the most amazing animation I have ever seen. Please take the time to watch this video, from the artist BLU, when you have a chance.

Also, BLU's web site is a must see (where you can see more of the artist's work), as well as his blog!

Breaking News!

2008-09-24T18:10:00.000-07:00

Family, friends, and friends of the interweb,

Let me first apologize to those family members and friends that neither Trip nor I have been able to contact prior to this blog post. We had great intentions of personally speaking to each and every one of you.

So... my arty, designy, greeny, lifey blog is soon to add one more category: mommy.

Yup! That's right! Trip and I are absolutely delighted to share with you all the news of our pregnancy. It's been hard keeping it a secret, but we really wanted to make sure the baby was healthy before we spread the news. And I'm happy to report that all is well! I just starting my second trimester, with a due date of March 25th.

Even though I haven't been blogging about it yet, I have been chronicling the pregnancy, and am happy to give you a look back at my changing body and life!

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4 weeks/One Month: The day we found out I was pregnant (which happened to be the first day of BlogHer '08). Say goodbye to the flat stomach...

100# and 24"

Baby was the size of a poppy seed. Of course my family referred to the baby as "Poppy" for quite some time. PHOTO: babycenter

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8 weeks/Two Months: Really - just four weeks later and I'm already a mess? By "mess" I mean that I already had cravings, food aversions, weird cramps, sore boobies, and was freakin' TIRED. Poor Tripple... he would ask me if I wanted, say, stir fry, and I would reply, "Ew! No! Ugh!" like he was suggesting we eat roasted crickets on a bed of dirt.

101# and 25"

Baby was the size of a kidney bean. PHOTO: babycenter

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10 weeks: We had our first ultrasound this week! And pregnancy had been treating me pretty well. I actually felt really great despite the exhaustion. And yes, I was one of the lucky few that really only suffered a couple days of morning sickness (and minor at that). Bring it, haters.

101.5# and 28"

Baby's first picture! Trip got super excited when he spotted Baby's heart beating (almost knocked a tray over), and Baby even did a little dance for us -- which we of course recreate on a daily basis.

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14 weeks/Three Months: So here we are, at three months. Belly is in full force. I'll post a pic at each month from now on, so you can all be completely and utterly astonished at the metamorphosis of tiny women to big rolley-polley.

104# and 31"

Had to include this one because it looks like an alien is about to pop out of my upper abdomen. It's actually my rib. Crazy.

From head to bottom, baby is now about the size of a lemon. PHOTO: babycenter

And just because I am pregnant does not mean I won't still be involved in the world of art and design (it is still my career, and passion, after all), and my commitment to organic, green living. I just know that the next few months (okay 6) will be focused mainly on my every increasing belly, and the trials and tribulations of becoming a new parent -- while still in school, to boot! Yup that's right, the baby is due the end of March, a full 7 weeks before I graduate from the Academy of Art and Tripple finishes grad school (at least we both finish in May - yay!).

Should be an interesting ride. Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

New Single From The Killers!

2008-09-22T15:38:00.000-07:00

The Killers posted their new single to their web site today, Human. You can find it here (link is at the bottom).

I like it. I can definitely picture myself running to it.

I'm really loving their web site design, though. Those are some awesome page transitions! (But why is that guy's arm so hairy - eek!!)

Their new CD, Day & Age, will be released November 25th. Hurray!

Another Great Reason to Live in the Bay Area.

2008-09-17T07:42:00.000-07:00

How am I going to make the time see all the things I want to see! First there is the grand opening of the California Academy of Sciences, and now this!

Opening the very same weekend, September 27th, is the exclusive U.S. appearance of Leonardo: 500 Years into the Future at the Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose.

For the first time ever in the U.S.!
The world premiere of the largest, most comprehensive exhibit of the innovative art, science and engineering works of Leonardo da Vinci and his contemporaries comes to The Tech Museum of Innovation this Fall for only 99 days.

Leonardo: 500 Years into the Future will be at The Tech September 27, 2008 to January 4, 2009. Have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see how this genius of the Renaissance has influenced and inspired much of the technology we use today.

Not only will the extraordinary machines and mechanical devices be on display, but also two beautiful paintings on loan from the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.

99 days, people. You have no excuses.

I Can't Wait to See the Penguins!

2008-09-15T08:21:00.000-07:00

Going to Golden Gate Park was a big part of my childhood. We would go pretty much every summer, as we always came to San Francisco for our annual physicals. I have fond memories of the Japanese Tea Garden, the Asian Art Museum, the de Young Museum, or even just playing in the playground. But what I always looked forward to was visiting the Steinhart Aquarium (or the California Academy of Sciences, as it is referred to now). I think that's what started my elementary school aged obsession with penguins (emphasis on the "PEN").

The end of this month, the CAS (wonderful website, by the way -- check out the PenguinCams!) will reopen its doors after an astonishing remodel. It's taken ten years and great vision to unify the Academy's twelve buildings into one notable structure. Under one Living Roof, the new Academy contains a planetarium, aquarium, and natural history museum. When the facility opens, the Academy hopes to earn the highest rating-platinum- for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). Pritzker Prize-winning architect Renzo Piano, working with the Genoa-based Renzo Piano Building Workshop (RPBW), in collaboration with the San Francisco-based Chong Partners, has created one of the city's greenest buildings. It's really quite fascinating what they have accomplished:

90% of all demolition materials were recycled
32,000 tons of sand from foundation excavation applied to dune restoration projects in San Francisco
95% of all steel from recycled sources
15% fly ash (a recycled coal by-product), 35% slag in concrete
50% of lumber harvested from sustainable-yield forests
68% of insulation comes from recycled blue jeans
90% of office space will have natural light and ventilation
60,000 photovoltaic cells; 213,000 kilowatt-hours; 5% to 10% savings of electricity
30% less energy consumption than federal code requirement

And even with such a strong focus on being green, they did not slack on the overall design aesthetic one bit. The building is breathtaking to say the least.

Opening weekend celebration starts the 27th, with free admission on Saturday. You can find the details here.

Camping at San Simeon State Park.

2008-09-11T07:52:00.000-07:00

So I'm a week late, but wanted to share some pictures I shot during our Labor Day weekend camping trip to San Simeon. Camping Labor Day weekend has become a tradition for the Parmelee/Johnson families, and this was yet another success! San Simeon State Park is located 35 miles north of San Luis Obispo on Highway 1, and 5 miles south of the Hearst San Simeon State Historical Monument Visitor Center. The community of Cambria is located 2 miles to the South and offers gas stations and grocery stores.

It really is a great state park, with some beautiful (and challenging!) hiking trails, and just a quick walk to the beach. I highly recommend! I also highly recommend a blowup mattress that takes up your entire tent, both vertically and horizontally. Ridiculous - maybe. Comfy - you know it! Thanks to Adam and Nay for letting us keep our bags in their tent since we didn't have any room.

Home Sweet I-Must-Decorate-For-Every-Holiday-Even-Labor-Day Home.

2008-09-09T14:55:00.000-07:00

Buying a home is a huge feat. Buying a home in the Bay Area is a colossal feat. Designing the interior of said home leads to catalog addiction.

We've been in our home for nearly two years now, and we are still doing this-and-that, mainly because once every few months a new catalog from CB2, West Elm, Crate and Barrel or Williams-Sonoma arrives in the mail box. Just when you thought the table linens you bought were perfect year round, you get the Fall Williams-Sonoma catalog with the Halloween decor. Dang it!

Halloween Spider Web Rubber Doormat. Must have this.

Great Pumpkin Candle. They look so real!

Pumpkin Place Mats (Set of 4) Ummmm. I want pumpkin pie.

And no, it's not too early to be thinking about Halloween, silly. Shoot, I'm already thinking how I'm going to decorate my mantel for Christmas...

People First, Idiotic Ideas about Global Warming NOT Being Caused By Humans Second.

2008-09-03T11:04:00.000-07:00

Trip and I were discussing the Palin controversy last night, and the different opinions people -- particularly women -- have regarding a mother of 5 holding such a high powered and demanding position (not to mention the whole 17-year-old daughter being pregnant thing). We both learned something interesting from our conversation: Trip learned that her youngest child has Down syndrome; and I learned the term PFL, people-first language.

When I first told Trip about Palin's infant boy, I said, "she has a Down syndrome baby". Trip quickly corrected me, saying that with people-first language you should emphasize that they are a person first. The disability comes second. So I should have said, "she has a baby with Down syndrome". Wikipedia has a page dedicated to the topic (of course they do), with a very helpful table of examples.

Interesting tidbit I thought I'd pass along...

One more thing... I am not a fan of Palin, especially since she doesn't believe global warming is caused by humans, nor does she think polar bears should be listed as endangered (I can't even get my head around that one). But I do think she is entitled to a personal life, and conducting it as she chooses. I wouldn't make the same choices as her, but it's her life, let her live it.

Free Pie! Free Pie!

2008-08-27T15:52:00.000-07:00

Two reasons to be happy on a Wednesday afternoon:

I just found out that one of my favorite shows from last year, Pushing Daisies is premiering October 1st.
In some very clever marketing, ABC is kicking off the second season with a Pushing Daisies Touch of Wonder Tour. The tour will hit 10 cities across the U.S., with pop-up facsimiles of Ned's bakery, the Pie Hole, and offering free pie to all comers. I repeat, FREE PIE, people! Can you tell I'm excited about free pie! The super cutie website The Pie Maker has all the deets.

The Pie Hole Tour 2008:

August 31: Anaheim, CA – Downtown Disney
September 7: San Francisco, CA – Ghirardelli Square– Chocolate Festival
September 10: Los Angeles, CA – Santa Monica 3rd Street Promenade
September 12: Las Vegas, NV – Fashion Show Mall
September 14: Phoenix, AZ – Westgate Complex
September 17: Denver, CO – Larimer Square
September 20: Dallas, TX – Addison Oktober Fest
September 24: Chicago, IL – Lincoln Park
September 26: Philadelphia, PA – The Shops at Liberty Place
September 29: New York, NY – Times Square

Now to convince Tripple that we have to go up to the city to get some free pie...

Is It That Time of Year Already??

2008-08-22T10:28:00.000-07:00

The most wonderful time of the year??

Yup - it's back! The 5 Cent Sale is back at BevMo! Cause I always gotta hook a brotha/sista up...

You know the drill -- buy one bottle at full price, get the second for 5 stinkin' cents. Of course there are only select bottles included in the sale, but they always throw in some good ones. Pick the 90 point wines if you're not sure what is good.

And shop online for easy in-store pick-up!

Cheers!

"You've Made This Day a Special Day By Just Being You."

2008-08-20T16:01:00.000-07:00

Trip just got home from a teacher's kick-off meeting and made me Google a video they showed. He said it was something I had to see.

He was right.

In 1969, Fred Rogers appeared before the United States Senate Subcommittee on Communications. His goal was to support funding for PBS and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, in response to significant proposed cuts by President Nixon. He passionately argues that alternative television programming like his Mister Rogers' Neighborhood helped encourage children to become happy and productive citizens, sometimes opposing less positive messages in media and in popular culture.

Watch in awe, as I did.

Just hearing his voice brought back memories of Rachel, Adam and I glued to the TV, watching the Neighborhood of Make-Believe. And what a voice -- the most heartfelt and pleasant voice I have ever, I will probably ever hear.

An Exhibit Not to Be Missed!

2008-08-13T08:11:00.000-07:00

Here in the Bay Area, we're so fortunate to have such a range of amazing museums: the de Young, the Legion of Honor, the Asian Art Museum, and of course the Museum of Modern Art, which Trip and I have been members of for some time now. But there are also some great places to view art right here in San Jose.

Some time last year, Trip and I decided to explore our local museums, and stumbled upon the fabulous Anno Domini, as well as a fabulous artist exhibiting -- Bruno 9Li from Sao Paolo, Brazil. Since the exhibit, Mysterium Tremendum, Bruno 9Li has experienced some great exposure here in San Jose, with a mural along the side of Anno Domini (which used to be Camera One) and a cover of The Wave magazine.

Well he's back with his second solo exhibit, META. It is a reflection on its Greek origin relating to the concept of "beyond." What lies beyond the perceptible reality that we share in our day to day lives? What follows our existence here on Earth? Bruno continues his process of drawing as a means of contemplative action while these ideas flow through him and into the art. He pulls his inspiration from the themes of spiritism, metaphysics, ovnis (UFOs) and exotic, aquatic plants and animals.

His work is hard to describe. It's graphically bold, colorful, and extremely intricate. It definitely has a street-art influence, but I wouldn't categorize him in such a way. From his website: He often speaks of "all being one," and is deeply aware of the unity of people, animals and nature itself. 9Li creates works of art that share this vision with his audience through epic encounters of natural and supernatural beings. These encounters, depending on the viewer, can be seen as mythic morality tales of the past, or a keen foretelling of the future.

Not only is his breathtaking work on display, but it is all surrounded by a beautiful site-specific installation that adds to the overall exhibit, bringing together all the pieces to this one magnificent vision.

There are still a couple of works available for purchase, but I was really surprised at how fast many of his pieces have sold. So if you are interested, you should act fast. Of course, you should also have $2700 of disposable income (Me, not so much. Sad.)

META
Solo Exhibit by Bruno 9li
Exhibit dates: 1st August thru 20th September, 2008.

Anno Domini // the second coming of Art & Design
366 So. First Street
San Jose, CA 95113
408.271.5155

Gallery & Store Hours:
Tuesday through Friday, noon - 7 p.m.
Saturday, noon - 5 p.m.

I Always Knew There Was A Big Underground Drag Kitty Scene.

2008-08-12T11:34:00.000-07:00

Cat people. We are a rare breed aren't we.

We not only love our cats, we adore them. We even slightly worship them.

The other night, I looked at my cat, sleeping on his little cat couch, and shed a tear. If only he knew how much I loved him! (Of course hormones might have played a slight role in this moment.)

Well, my sister has shown me that there are some that take the adoration of their kitties to a whole new level.

Ladies and gentlemen, I introduce to you...

Kitty Wigs

Kitty freakin' wigs.

I did a Google search and there is an entire Kitty Wig group on Flickr. Of course there is.

Okay, give me "depressed millionairess."

Now give me "I have no time for you, you stupid stupid human!"

Okay, I admit, I once put a little tiny Panthers helmet on Lemieux to take a picture to send to my mother-in-law. But a wig? I just don't think I can subject my boys to that. I mean, if they're into drag, I am a loving mother and will love and support them no matter what. But I'm not going to be the reason why they turn to a life of sin. (I've read I Am Not Myself These Days! I know what those girls are up to! Okay, I loved that book, but whatever.)

It doesn't matter anyways -- they're both more purple kinda gals.

Although Lemieux would rock that pink one like nobody's business.

Hmmmm... $50...

Do You Have Olympic Fever??

2008-08-11T12:06:00.000-07:00

Wow - what a weekend. A weekend of me stuck to the couch watching hours of Olympic coverage. Awesomely stuck!

It all started with the most amazing opening ceremonies I can remember. Well, that actually started Saturday morning for me, as I had other plans Friday evening, so watched the full 4.5 hours commercial free (Yay DVR!). Oh, I take that back. Not completely commercial free, because that amazing United Air commercial caught my eye. Having just taking a motion graphics course, I watched this commercial in complete awe. The integration of traditional animation with 3D graphics and live action footage is top notch. I found it on YouTube, and of course the quality sucks, but you get the idea.

Love.It.

But going back to the opening ceremonies, there were many memorable moments. My personal favorite moments were the LED drum countdown (probably one of the coolest things I've ever seen), and then the little 9-year old boy from China that walked along side the flag carrying yao Ming (He was so tiny! Or perhaps looked tiny next to Yao Ming.) who went back and saved two classmates after the horrific 2008 Sichuan earthquake. Find me one person that didn't at least get a tiny bit choked up when they told that boy's story. (I of course, went through about 5 tissues).

So then the rest of the weekend was Men's basketball (was anyone else just smidgen worried when the Chinese started out so strong? Yao Ming with a three-pointer? WTF?), beach volleyball (with Kerri Walsh loosing her wedding ring during her and Misty May-Treanor's win - don't worry, they found it! - and the downpour during Gibb & Rosenthal's easy win) and gymnastics (and yes, I do believe a few of the Chinese girls' claims to be 16 are a bit suspect). Add in a few trips out of the house for some food, and that pretty much sums up my weekend.

Oh wait... I forgot a sport. Ummm did anyone happen to watch the swimming? I know, only a bagillion people are curious as to how Micheal Phelps will perform. And since he broke World Records and claimed the Gold in his first two medal races -- which analysts claim to have been his hardest races these Olympic games -- well, dude is doing pretty well. Okay, really well. Okay, okay, mind-blowingly well. Better yet, freak of nature well.

Poor poor Lemieux. My little lap kitty that wants nothing more than to sleep on his mommy's belly every night. There he was, at 11:30 last night, well past our bedtime. Trip and I were watching TV, anxiously awaiting the Men's 4x100m relay race which the French were heavily favored, not to mention talking some smack on the US (doesn't that almost always end badly?). We didn't have our hopes up for a Gold, especially since the US were almost a body length behind going into that last leg. But wait... he's catching up... oh my gosh he's catching up! It's so close, it's super close. OH MY GOSH!!!! HE DID IT!!! THEY WON!!! THEY WON!!! Both Trip and I leapt up out of bed, sending poor Lemieux half way across the room, where he stopped and stared at us with eyes as big as saucers. I think we may have gone through one of his lives last night. Sorry boo boo. But holy cow, was that a race or what!! (Oh, and Micheal Phelps, if you're reading this, please feel free to scream like an animal and show every muscle in your body whenever you want, thank you.)

So the Johnson household, kitties and all, is in a full Olympic frenzy.

I can't believe we have over two more weeks of this!!

This was not "Photohsop"-ed

2008-07-30T16:56:00.000-07:00

Oh, I hope he didn't pay too much for this ad.
And I'm not even going to comment on the overall artistic quality...

BlogHer '08: It Was a Success!

2008-07-24T11:09:00.000-07:00

I know I'm a few days late recapping BlogHer '08, but it's taken me a few days just to get back in the swing of things. I was not quite prepared for the three hours of sleep a night. But yes, it was all worth it.

My first experience at a BlogHer conference was amazing, to say the least. And to experience it with Trip was great. He was such a trooper! I have to admit, I signed him up as a volunteer without his full consent. But he is on summer vacation, so I kinda feel like he didn't have a choice. (I know, selfish and mean of me, right?) I'm so glad I did. Because he had just as good and an inspiring time as I did. And it didn't hurt that he was hanging out with about a thousand women.

Because we were working so hard and running all around, we weren't able to sit in on too many of the well-planned sessions. But we were able to sit in on one, which couldn't have been more perfect for us: MommyBlogging: Blogging About Our Children with Special Needs (you can read a live-blog here). Obviously with Trip being a Special Education teacher, I hear about the challenges and rewards of working with these special students on a daily basis. But to hear the parents' side was... there really are no words to explain. It was so moving to see how these women have used their blogs to not only deal with their own difficult days, but to also help others who are just starting out on this journey with their child. These women were all so strong, so brave, so real, so optimistic. It was definitely a touching and humbling experience (that I cried through). Although that was the only session we sat in on, we were both able to leave the conference knowing we experienced a BlogHer conference as one should.

On a completely different note, Trip and I were also able to sneak a peak at the Rocco DiSpirito cooking demonstration. Now, neither of us watched his show The Restaurant, where apparently he was complete ass -- we've only seen him on Top Chef, where he was totally down to earth. Which is how I would describe the Rocco we saw. As soon as he entered the room, he quickly started comfortable conversations with all the lucky 50 women in the room. He really seemed genuine. Maybe he's a fantastic actor and had us all fooled, but my gut tells me he really is a super cool, laid back kinda guy. And we learned some great tips! Cook your veggies with your boiling pasta to save a step -- and a pan; be generous with the salt when you salt the water for cooking pasta; don't feel guilty about taking some cooking short-cuts -- eating well is what is important!

And yes, he is just as attractive in person (maybe even more!). Sorry, the iPhone camera sucks.

Our favorite room, however, had to be the Sesame Street Suite. I wanted to stay in there all day! Between the recreation of the Sesame Street facade (complete with park benches), the beautifully decorated cookies and cupcakes, Abby Cadabby and GROVER -- I was in kiddie heaven.

And of course there were the parties. Thursday night was the Newbie Mixer, where we got our first taste of how women would attack Trip to see his tattoos. (I know he loves it.) Friday night was Ruby Skye hosted by TNT, where an actress from their hit show The Closer partied alongside the BlogHers/Hims. (Trip and I ran out to Virgin earlier that day to find a CD for that party. It must have been a success, as by the end of the night, there was some serious gettin' down gettin' on.) And then the closing night ceremony at Macy's, where a few (okay fifteen), wine glasses were broken amongst the Marc Jacobs bags (it pains me to even type that), free samples of KY were giving out, and some yummy tasty treats were passed around. If it sounds like a good time, you're spot on. It was. (Trip ran off to the men's Macy's to do some shopping, so I know for a fact some of those 11% off coupons were used!)

And like a bride after her wedding, Trip and I drove home that night pleased, a little sad it was over, and completely exhausted. And now the planning begins for The Reach Out Tour!

For more on BlogHer '08, visit the live-blogs links on the BlogHer website. You can also check out Flickr for some great shots from the community.

R.I.P. M.C.

2008-07-13T23:40:00.000-07:00

It was a sad, sad day on Saturday. My family had to say goodbye to a member of the family.

A few months ago, my sister's cat Marie Claire became suddenly ill. After trying everything they could to get her better, her little body just couldn't fight anymore, and she was ready to start a new adventure.

She lived an amazing nine years. Not many people can say they lived in San Francisco, Miami, Singapore and Hawaii -- let alone a cat. I was fortunate enough to visit her in each of these locations. We both agreed that Singapore was her mommy's best home.

I will always remember Marie Claire as being the most beautiful cat I have ever seen. I took this picture of her with my phone on a day when I was caring for her. I just loved how, even though you knew she wasn't feeling well, she still posed for me. Always the lady.

Thank you for gracing us with your presence, Marie Claire. We are forever grateful. :)

When Warming Is A Good Thing.

2008-06-29T15:35:00.000-07:00

Diane Ackerman's book An Alchemy of Mind:

"We safely trade bits of self with loved ones all the time. Couples pick up some of each other's mannerisms, accents, habits, ideas. But we also absorb people in more visceral ways. When we pass along a flu or cold sore, for instance, viruses pack some of our proteins and lipids in the viral envelope and release them inside another person, who will store some in his or her lymph nodes. Retroviruses - such as AIDS, for instance - can install pieces of someone else's DNA in one's chromosomes. But we're probably swapping gene fragments with people all the time, imperceptibly, through infection and lovemaking because 'over the course of an intimate relationship, we collect a lot of pieces of someone else... Until one day what remains is truly and thoroughly a mosaic, a chimera - part man, part woman, part someone, part someone else.' Little by little, as bits of DNA make it to our chromosomes, intimate relationships help shape the immune system's cameo of us, and modify the brain, altering the self whose continuity we cherish. We don't just get under each other's skin, we absorb people. Everyone we've ever loved remains with us, and we're invisibly changed for having known them. That will make some people feel queasy, I suppose, but it warms me."

<sigh>

I Like Circles.

2008-06-27T07:00:00.000-07:00

I mentioned yesterday that one of my courses this summer is Motion Graphics 2. Well my other course is my last Liberal Arts class, The Power of Signs: Semiotics & The Visual Arts. If you are a fan of my blog from back in the day (ummm... like last September), then you might remember me posting about the History of Aesthetics class quite a bit. Well this is the same professor, and once again he's got my little wheels a-turnin'. Last week our lecture was on The Preferential Shapes Test, and as interesting as biosemiotics may be (bio-huh?), this was actually something I thought others might be interested in.

From the lecture:

The Preferential Shapes Test provides a window into individual experiences and needs, as well as clues to the direction of future growth. It is not intended as an index of character flaws. The processes revealed by the shape preferences are a part of everyone's experience. The potentials symbolized by each shape are present in everyone, although the shapes' expression within any individual is always unique.

I'm not exactly sure I can reproduce the entire test here, as I Googled it and only got references to a book. So to ensure not getting sued or anything ridiculous like that, I'll just pimp the book instead.

The "test" was created by Angeles Arrien, a cultural anthropologist and student of Joseph Campbell. Through cross-cultural study she identified five symbols that she says occur in art and decoration around the world with similar meanings. The five symbols are:

Circle - symbolizing wholeness
Equidistant Cross - symbolizing relationship
Spiral - symbolizing growth and change
Square - symbolizing stability
Triangle - symbolizing goals, dreams, and visions

In the Preferential Shapes Test, she asks people to first draw the shapes and then rank them 1-5 with one being the most preferred shape and five the least.

The five ranked positions also have meanings:

where you think you are
your strengths
where you really are
your motivation
what you are avoiding or in denial of

The test interpretations are lengthy, but really interesting, if you're into this hippie dippie new-agey kinda thing like me. I found some pretty accurate, some surprising, and some quite insightful. I'm always down for some self-reflection, and if anything, this test encourages that.

Plus any test that only compromises of drawing a few simple shapes is awesome in my book.

I Love Me Some Big Glass Of Half Full

2008-06-26T14:08:00.000-07:00

"Joy, where have you been?" you may be asking.

Well, with only six classes left at Academy of Art, I decided to tackle two of them this summer. Which is pretty crazy. What is normally a 16 week course is condensed into 8 weeks. Which means two assignments due a week. And being that one of my courses is Motion Graphics 2 (basically creating cool motion graphics in AfterEffects), equals the pretty crazy part. Actually, make that very crazy.

Add to that that the BlogHer annual conference is July 18-20 (1000 attendees; sponsors such as GM, Intuit, and TNT, to name a few; and a party at Macy's in Union Square) and well, you have me working pretty much non-stop.

Again, very crazy.

The last few weeks have definitely been a good lesson in time management. I'm trying very had to balance work and school with, well, a life. I guess this is always an issue for the working American. We live in a culture that seems to get off on burning the candle at both ends. When did this cultural shift happen? Or is that what this nation has always been about?

I guess I am partly to blame for the craziness. Had I not decided to become a rave bunny in the 90s, I would have finished my undergrad at Santa Clara in my early 20s. But when I start to think about what my life would have been, my head starts to spin. How could I even know. How could I even make a guess. It's one of those Sliding Doors kinda things. I may not have ever found out that I wanted to do design; I may have never met my husband; I may have never experienced all the bizarre and wonderful things that have made me who I am today.

So, in my 30s, and after a kick-ass winding road, I'm here working my ass off.

With a little life mixed in every chance I get.

01SJ Festival - Better Late Than Never

2008-06-10T15:46:00.000-07:00

Last week marked the 2nd Biennial 01SJ Global Festival of Art on the Edge, and I really did have good intentions to blog about. Instead I went and enjoyed too much wine and forgot to. So, you get a recap instead of a plug.

In case you are unfamiliar with it, 01SJ is:

North America’s newest and largest festival of digital arts, and a great deal more. From a hip hop, multi-media meditation on Antarctica to robot art, from conversations with artificial intelligence to operatic performances of Google headlines about the environment, from avant-garde cinema to new musical forms - well over 100 artworks, performances, screenings, talks, and workshops will be featured at 01SJ. Festival organizers expect it to be a perspective-altering experience that entertains, enlightens, educates and involves attendees in a new understanding of our changing world.

Last Wednesday night was the opening ceremonies, and my friend Amii and I (who was my companion to the event last year), went to check it out -- specifically the lighting of City Hall's Rotunda. Of course we were both a bit hungry and thirsty when we got there, so started off the evening with some wonderful wine and appetizers at Bella Mia. Feeling satisfied and toasty, we then walked down to City Hall to meet up with our friend Mariah to check it out. I have to say, although there wasn't smoke and lots of lights projected everywhere like last year, this year's installation was much cooler.

Incursion 37:20:15.71” N - 121: 53:09.51” W continues Craig Walsh’s series of large-scale projection installations occupying specific sites and responding to contrasting environmental contexts. These urban interventions provide surreal visions of nature dominating architectural sites and altering their perceived function. This new project for 01SJ will continue this strain of enquiry whilst considering the impact technology might have on these simulated clashes between Nature and the built environment.

I got to take some really cool, interesting photos -- which is always a plus.

Friday night Trip, Amii and I went to SubZero, a huge block party on south First that celebrates unique and emerging arts movements ranging from contemporary music, street performances, Do-It-Yourself and interactive, on-the-edge art installations. As always Anno Domini was displaying an interesting artist, and I still love the huge mural they have on the side of the building -- something I shot a while back for a web site project. But it was the Fingerbangers turntablism (is that even a word? it should be) that provided the most entertainment, and the biggest draw.

Oh, I should mention that Friday started out with dinner at La Pastaia, in the Hotel De Anza. Absolutely fantastic meal with a lot of vegetarian options. I highly recommend the fried artichokes and the asparagus risotto to start, and the cappellini con salsa fresca for your main course. And the wine list was great :)

So if you didn't check it out this year, make sure you get out to 01SJ next year. Hopefully the City Hall Rotunda installation continues - and continues to progress - as it really is a very very cool concept.

Reason #386 Why I Love My Husband

2008-06-03T16:29:00.000-07:00

Trip and I have been blessed with hummingbird visitors year round, mainly because they love our sugary-sweet hummingbird feeder concoction (and by "our" I mean Trip's). We've been talking for some time about getting a birdhouse, in hopes to keep them as permanent residents. So I was thrilled when I received an email from Design Within Reach today advertising a kick-ass birdhouse, and quickly forwarded it on to Trip. Our exchange:

ME: Oh my God I want it! $95, though.... :(

Close up of email

TRIP: and it makes a great home for tits! :)

ME: [laughing hysterically] you, sir, are HIL-AR-IOUS.

(End scene)

Blue canary in the outlet by the light switch
Who watches over you
Make a little birdhouse in your soul
Not to put too fine a point on it
Say I'm the only bee in your bonnet
Make a little birdhouse in your soul

-They Might Be Giants

Today's Small Step: Forgive and Forget.

2008-05-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

A few months ago I subscribed to the newsletter of one of my favorite Food Network stars, Ellie Krieger. She hosts a wonderful show called Healthy Living with Ellie Krieger, where she often cooks vegetarian dishes (although not entirely, she is the best option for a vegetarian that loves cooking shows).

The focus of the newsletter is mainly cooking and eating healthy, but she also writes about living a healthy life in general. This recent issue really resonated with me, so I thought I would pass it on.

The poet Alexander Pope said: "To err is human, to forgive divine." Medical research has shown that forgiveness is good for the heart as well as the soul. One study found that when people dwelled on slights from their past, their blood pressure, heart rate, and muscle tension all increased, indicating that their bodies were physically stressed when they were in an unforgiving state. Harboring a grudge or resentment against someone or something can only have a negative effect on your health. Forgiving someone can release this negative energy and positively affect how you feel. Today, I'd like you to perform an exercise in forgiveness.

Forgiving someone when he or she has hurt you can be extremely difficult. But true forgiveness can set the stage for a deeper relationship, help prevent disagreements about inconsequential things, and improve your health.

Many people find that writing a letter to the person who hurt them is helpful. So today, get out all your feelings and frustrations on paper. Pretend you're facing the person who hurt you, and tell him or her how you feel. Then rip the letter into tiny pieces or burn it to symbolize that you are putting the incident behind you permanently. (Alternatively, you can try talking to someone close to you about what happened — this may allow you to vent and gain perspective.) Then make a conscious effort to let the incident go — don't keep bringing it up. Dwelling on it, especially with the person you've forgiven, may prevent you from really forgiving and moving on.

Is That A Banana In Your World's First Fully Bonded Bodysuit...

2008-05-28T09:00:00.000-07:00

I'm sure Speedo’s new LZR Racer (pronounced "Laser Racer") is as wonderfully high-tech as it sounds, with its paper-thin nylon and Lycra blend. And I really do hope it helps Michael Phelps win a bunch of gold medals.

But every time I see an athlete modeling it, they just look so uncomfortable. Not in the, "this thing is killing me" kind of uncomfortable. More in the "Oh my gosh I can't believe I'm out in public wearing this thing" kind of uncomfortable.

And for good reason. Let's face it. The goods are pretty much on display here folks.

Michael Phelps doing his best Vitruvian Man impression.

How much do you want to bet NBC does a whole lot of tight face shots during the swimming competitions? And will the cameras shift down if ratings aren't great?

I do have to say, one cool thing is that Speedo is collaborating with designer Rei Kawakubo (of Comme des Garçons) on a more colorful version for the Olympics -- most likely the standard red, white and blue.

As long as they keep the see-through butt crack, I'm cool with it.

Some Good Spam For Once - I Know! Oxymoronic, Right!?!

2008-05-26T13:44:00.000-07:00

Okay, maybe not so much spam as one of my other frequented design web site sharing my info with another *new* design web site, Feel More Human.

Jill rules. Joy is jealous of Jill.

I do love modern design! I too am interested in new ideas on sustainability! And lord knows I think every aspect of life could involve a bit more hugs and kisses. I'm so excited! Can't you tell?!?!? Exclamation marks rule!!!!

More to be excited about — here are just a few images from the email:

Skull Modern Gnome

Austin's Metrohouse

Naturally I was intrigued by these images of modern goodness, and went straight to the site (mainly because I had to have that gnome, dang it).

Ummm yeah... think again. This lovely "Skull Modern Gnome" is $100.

After more poking around I found this eco-friendly pillow that would look perfect in my bedroom. Like PERFECT perfect.

Perfect Pillow

$145.00

For one pillow.

Okay, so maybe I'll be visiting this site more for it's Tips on How You Can Make a Difference then for purchasing purposes.

But a very inspiring, beautiful site nonetheless to add to my growing "Design" bookmarks.

Academy of Art Spring Show - A MUST SEE!

2008-05-23T09:11:00.000-07:00

Trip and I ventured out to the city last night (trust me - a rare event) to attend opening night of the Academy of Art Spring Show. I know I may be bias, but honestly, this is some of the most talented work I have seen in my life. We were both completely blown away - and Trip is a hard critic to please.

From the sculptured jewelry to the animation to the industrial design to the illustrations, there is definitely something for everyone. Trip was in awe over the illustration section, where simple sketch book displays were anything but simple. And I of course was green with envy with the New Media work. There were about ten computer stations set up to experience multiple projects, which was perfect for such interactive art. I was totally inspired to get in gear for next year and submit some work!

I had the pleasure of meeting two of my instructors (the Director and Assistant Director of New Media), and they encouraged me to go to the complete New Media gallery at 180 New Montgomery, as the Spring Show is only about a third of what they have on display there. If it's anything near the caliber of work I saw at the Spring Show, I'm afraid my head may explode. This gallery is also open all summer.

The Spring Show is a free exhibit, open to the public - so you really have no excuse. Give yourself plenty of time. We were there for about an hour and a half and still didn't get to really see everything (the place was mad crowded, yo).

When
May 23 – July 25, 2008
10AM TO 6PM
(closed Sundays and Holidays)

Where
Academy of Art University
601 Brannan Street (at 5th Street)
San Francisco, CA 94107

On a side note -- we parked on Townsend, and as we walked to AAU gallery we passed a couple alleys with FAN-FREAKIN-TASTIC street art. We're going back to the Spring Show partly to see the show again, and partly to shoot that street art!

From Fantastic to Huh?

2008-05-19T13:58:00.000-07:00

Trip and I saw such an amazing movie on Saturday - Lars and the Real Girl. If you've ever wondered what heartwarming means, see this movie and you will understand. I smiled and cried through the entire thing (happy tears!), and felt so refreshed after the credits rolled. Of course it is completely off the wall, and no synopsis could ever do it justice (Man suffers from delusions that a Real Doll is, well, his real girlfriend). Don't think "this would never happen," but watch it and have hope that somewhere there does exist such a charming community of good natured people. I wonder why it didn't get more press when it was in theaters. I personally think it was a better screenplay than Juno, and deserved the Academy Award more.

So of course when we went to Blockbuster to exchange it for another, I knew we would have to switch gears quite a bit, especially since the movies we were looking at were No Country For Old Men and Charlie Wilson's War (we went for the latter. I wasn't quite ready for all that violence). But perusing the aisles, neither of us could get over how many disgusting horror movies there were. Like, every other movie was some guy's face being eaten off. Sick. Ass. Can somebody please explain to me what the appeal is?

Nothing, however, could prepare either of us for the obvious Oscar snub that is Teeth.

What is Teeth, you may ask?

Well, Teeth is a horror movie about a teenager that finds out her vagina has teeth.

And on that note... I'm going to go wash my hands, because I feel dirty just from typing that.

Launch of joypjohnson.com

2008-05-13T16:36:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my production staff (aka my brother), the kinks have been worked out and my personal portfolio site is up and running. Check it out when you have a sec, and let me know what ya'll think.

Did "Steve" Tell You that Per Chance?

2008-05-07T17:52:00.000-07:00

Trip and I were riding the VTA - my first (and last) time on the bus! - taking one of his past students to the Tech Museum. In the bus they had a lovely sign announcing the Employees of the Year for 2007. There was something particularly amusing about one of the winners and I wanted to take a picture, but Trip wouldn't let me. So I will describe:

[picture of employee]
And underneath it said:
Steven "Steve" Maloon

Really?

Not "Boom Boom" or "Big Paulie" or "Lucky" or "Skip" or "A-Rod".

Nope."Steve".

Priceless.

My weekend, by Joy Johnson.

2008-05-05T11:14:00.000-07:00

Hola amigos y amigas! Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

I will be celebrating at my brother's casa tonight. Well, not so much celebrating Cinco de Mayo as frantically trying to get my last Flash project done. I'm doing a site on the illustrious music of Adam12, and not only need help getting his music up there, but pretty much creating the entire site. As my beloved husband joked last night, "Who Joy, wait until the last minute to do her homework? Nooooo." I then hit him in the face and continued to lie on the couch for my marathon tv watching sesh.

Which, by the way, was buckets of awesomeness. I can't remember the last time I wasted an entire weekend on the couch. The body needed some big time rejuvenation, ya'll. We watched pretty much everything on our DVR, and two movies. One of which I can't recommend enough - Gone Baby Gone. Not only is Casey Affleck my new stalker crush (dark hair and light eyes... <sigh>), he may very well be in my top five of actors. I was really really impressed. Kudos to both him, for his acting skills, and his big brother Ben, for his directing skills. Definitely rent this movie if you have yet to see it.

The other movie we saw was Sweeney Todd, starring another of my top fives, Johnny Depp. I have to say, the movie was a lot more gory than I anticipated. I mean, I knew the story, but dang that was some blood. But of course Johnny (yes, we're on a first name basis) is absolute genius in everything he is in, so I also enjoyed this film. I was pleasantly surprised at how good his voice was. (Side note - yes, this is a musical. But it is also Tim Burton, so give it a chance if you are not a fan of musicals. Or just sing Nightmare Before Christmas songs throughout, as Trip did).

I had a double dose of Johnny this weekend, as couldn't sleep on Saturday night (a possible side effect of too much lying on the couch all day) and channel surfed upon Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. I think it was the first time I saw the film sober. Still just as freaky, but not nearly as affecting as it was the first time I saw it. Fascinating nonetheless (although I do admit, probably not the best movie to watch at 2AM. I had some craaaaazy dreams that night).

Oh, I should mention that my fabu weekend started out on Friday with girls night out (two weekends in a row! this time, much much much less alcohol involved) to see Duran Duran. Holy crap they were good. Simon's voice was amazing, and they played pretty much every song I wanted to hear. I can't believe it took until 2008 to see them, but well worth the wait. My sister and I danced the entire concert! Do do do do do do! Do do do do do do! Ah. Fun times.

So to recap: Gone Baby Gone is a must see; Casey Affleck is my new boyfriend; Johnny Depp can sing, and remains my other boyfriend; Duran Duran still rule the world, twenty years later; and there really is no need to leave the house if you have a television (with DVR of course - duh), Dagoba 87% organic dark chocolate, Diet V8 Splash, and a husband who rubs your neck because it hurts from laying on the couch watching tv for seven hours straight.

Random Thoughts From The Once Infectious Joy.

2008-04-30T14:05:00.000-07:00

Hi, remember me? Yes, I'm still around. Yes, I've been missing you all dearly, oh friends of the interweb. (Even though my brother - who read this - says that nobody read this. Poo head.)

I can't believe it's May. Where did the last month go?? I've been go go go going full speed for the past month that the days just flew by. So trust me, I am ready to slooooooow the heck down. My house is almost done, school is winding down and the sun is coming out. All of which means I am ready for some R&R.

Of course school is not over yet. And my house is not done yet. But I feel like I can see the light at the end of the tunnel now. I think the sun does it for me. Being outside and feeling that vitamin D beaming into me just puts me in a much more optimistic and sunshiny kinda mood.

Which is a very good thing, being how messed up the world is today. The fact that Miley Cyrus is the main topic of conversation is just, well, stupid. I personally don't have a problem with the Vanity Fair cover photo (If you've been living under a rock and have no idea what I am talking about, you can read about it here). I actually think it's quite beautiful. The subtle hues and silvery lighting remind me of a painting. She looks vulnerable, but in a "I'm an everyday average teenager, not a bagillionaire with make-up and hair people fixing me up for 5 hours" kindaway. In fact, I think it's her "plainess" that makes the portrait so compelling. But nooooooooooo. All the uptight conservatives says it looks like she's "topless," whoring around on a bed. Really? Do people honestly think that 15-year-old Miley and her parents (who were in the room), thought, "Hey -- Annie thinks Miley should look like a topless whore. That sounds fantastic!" What they probably thought was that they would be making another historic Annie Leibovitz portrait. Well, they pretty much got that.

Any who.... I digress. The much more important topic of conversation is American Idol, people. Is that really our Top 5? Ugh. When did that happen? I guess now that Michael Johns and Carly Smithson are gone, I'm forced to root for David Archuleta. Because I CANNOT STAND David Cook (can he look anymore smug and smarmy?), Brook White is just "eh", Syesha Mercado is nothing new, and Jason Castro's goofy stoner image and baby blues no longer make up for the fact that he just can't sing very well. I think I would be happy if anyone BUT David Cook wins, but I'm afraid I'm in the minority. Sad.

So yeah, my life has been busy with work, school, house and yes...TV.

Well, that's it for now. I am thinking of all ya'll and promise not to leave for so long again :)

P.S. Have you donated to Global Giving yet???? Do it.

Blog. Act. Donate. BlogHers Act.

2008-04-10T14:44:00.000-07:00

If you haven't yet noticed, I'm running a widget in my sidebar (with a beautifully designed logo if I may say so myself). As part of our BlogHers Act commitment to make a difference on the issue of maternal health, BlogHer has joined forces with Global Giving to help save women's lives and we need your help. We're campaigning until Mother's Day, May 11, 2008, so please donate if you are in a position to do so. Some of you may feel a bit bombarded by people asking for money (with the whole Idol Gives Back extravaganza last night), but every little bit does make a difference.

It's Been Awhile.

2008-04-10T14:20:00.000-07:00

Hi folks. I know it's been awhile. Between BlogHer Business, Academy of Art, revamping my website, following the primaries, bridal showers, birthdays, American Idol, Top Chef and spring cleaning, I've been a bit overwhelmed. Unfortunately since my salary, grades, water cooler gossip or marriage don't depend on it., my blog is the first thing to neglect. So my apologies to those few dedicated readers!

Wishing you all beautiful spring time weather!

I Need Sleep.

2008-03-28T12:35:00.000-07:00

I know it's been awhile since I've blogged, but it's the BlogHer Business Conference in New York next week, and I have been absolutely swamped with designing signage, brochures, etc. Hopefully things will slow down soon...

Thought I would leave you with some filler, though. Once again, this animator is spot on. This was our little Lemieux last night, trying desperately to get into our closet at 4 in the morning.

(Of Course)

2008-03-20T13:04:00.000-07:00

Trip was off work on Monday, which meant I had the honor of driving our Accord. I rarely get to drive this car, so always look forward to the much cushier ride than our Ford Escape. Don't get me wrong, that Escape is a great little SUV. Although it has been running a bit weird lately...

So ummm, yeah. I guess "weird" means the transmission is shot. Trip was treating himself to a rare Breakfast Jack (no meat!) when the Escape would not drive out of the drive-through. The engine was on, just no power when he tried to accelerate. He got a few blocks from our house when it just would not accelerate. At all.

Oddly enough, just a few days earlier we received an upgrade offer from AAA for our roadside assistance, as we only have the basic package. So rather than pay $10 a mile over the only 5 mile towing our current membership gives us, I went online and upgraded to the 100 mile tow membership. Which you can't use same day (of course). Urg! So Tripple took Tuesday off to deal with getting the car towed to Ford.

Okay, so one car for two people. Not good. Oh wait! My sister keeps her car at my brothers! Hurray! I can use that while the Escape is in the shop. Except the battery is dead (of course). So Tripple called my brother to see if he knew which size battery my sister's car needed, except he couldn't talk cause he had JUST BEEN PULLED OVER (of course).

Seriously, who pissed off the car Gods?

(Is it the whole disbelief in the math miracle thing? Cause if so, I would like to publicly declare my faith. Did you hear that people of the math miracle??? I believe you!!!!!!!!)

I found God on a Billboard on the 101.

2008-03-18T14:19:00.000-07:00

On my way into work today I saw this billboard:

Okay, I know you can't read it. As I said, I was on my way into work. Which means I was driving. And trying to take a picture with my iPhone. Not usually a recipe for successful photoshoots.

I will transcribe:

The first Physical Evidence

For a Message From

GOD

to the World

www.MathMiracle.com

Now if you asked me where I would hear about "the First" physical evidence of God, I would definitely have said on a billboard on 101 in Redwood City. Duh. Newsweek, Scientific American, the Pope - heck no. It's all about the billboard, baby.

And I'm so not wanting to admit it, but I had to go online and check out the site, even though they would be achieving their goal of driving traffic to it (and possibly brainwashing me). Good news is no brainwashing. Bad news - I have absolutely no idea what they are talking about, nor what this "proof" is that they mention throughout the site (whoever "they" are). All I could figure out is apparently the Qur'an is full of initials and numbers that somehow mathematically proves that there is a God. Got it? Exactly.

I also want to note that the site does not shed any light as to why they have what appears to be a satellite dish on their billboard. In fact, there wasn't ANY reference to the satellite dish, transmitting signals, cryptic Godly messages, XM radio, or three months free of DirecTV at all. I guess that was the most science-y clipart?

I don't know about you, but I'm not so sure this whole "math miracle" thing is legit. I will wait for more billboards and let you all know...

It's Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaack

2008-03-14T11:54:00.000-07:00

Don't say I never do anything for you (faceless people of the interweb).

I just got the BevMo "Pssst....Our 5-cent Wine Sale is Here!" email.

You know the deal: Buy one bottle, get the second for FIVE FREAKIN CENTS.

Sorry. I got excited.

Check it out here in all it's grapey goodness glory. Shop now before they officially advertise the sale - and all the good stuff is gone!

Happy Anniversary to the More Than a Hundred Animals I Saved Last Year!

2008-03-10T17:26:00.000-07:00

This past weekend Trip and I celebrated a very special anniversary - one year since year since we became full-fledged vegetarians.

Wow - a year. Although it seems like much longer. Not in the "Gosh I need a burger" kind of way. More in the, "I can't believe I haven't lived this way my whole life" kind of way.

This is not actually my first experience with vegetarianism. Fast backward to me at 18, when I saw an Earth Day special on MTV that totally changed my life. I know, hokey, right? But to an 18-year-old that had never been exposed to animal abuse, it really was a life changing event. I guess up until then I was a naive girl that truly couldn't fathom the idea that a human being would want to deliberately hurt an animal. I grew up in household that at any given time had at least one dog and one cat (but more often than not at least a couple of each). Our pets were not pets - they were family members. We joke now that mom used to take the pets to the vet more than she took us to the doctor. This was what I knew.

So when I saw that peaceful white seal being clubbed on the head - I froze. Then I cried. Then I asked questions. Why? HOW?

It was around this same time that I went to my first Body Shop on a visit to my sister's. I don't know if any of you remember The Body Shop when it first came to the states, but it had tons and tons of pamphlets on animal testing, endangered species and animal abuse. It was the first time that a company seemed more focused on making a difference then making a buck (unfortunately, after Anita Roddick sold the company, it lost a bit of it's focus - but I'm still a dedicated shopper).

The more I read, the more I was disgusted, and the more I wanted to DO SOMETHING. So at 18, on my way off to Santa Clara University, I decided to stop eating meat.

This was 1994, people. There was no Boca burger, no Whole Foods (at least not near where I lived), no tofu paté (can you even imagine), and frankly, I didn't really educate myself on how to get the protein and nutrients that I needed. So what happened? A few years later a then 98 pound healthy teenager became an 85 pound 20-year-old anemic. After getting sick of the shots of B-12 (and my mom getting sick of telling people "no, my daughter is not anorexic"), I made a trip to the doctor - who basically told me I had to eat meat. Yes, I was a stupid 20-year-old that trusted her doctor and thought that really was my only option. So I started to eat meat again.

Fast forward to a year ago. Trip was taking an Environmental Ethics class and we were getting into these passionate discussions about the horrible environmental impact of the meat industry. Independent of that I was having conversations with a co-worker about the state of the meat industry and all the gross icky funk thats in it all. The stars were aligning. Some crazy force was beating me over the head - "you should not be eating meat!" So over lunch one day I told my friend the fish I was eating would be my last, that I was going to go back to work and print out a bunch of information to support my case for when I would tell Trip that evening.

On my drive my home I even practiced in my head what I would tell him. "It's not just an ethical choice, but an environmental one, too..."

The phone rings.

Me: Hi sweetie bear pumpkin face (or something like that).

Trip: Hello love of my life to which the sun rises and sets (or something like that). I've been reading for my Environmental Ethics class, and the more I think about it, the more I really want to become a vegetarian.

Me: (silence)

Trip: Hello? Did you hear me?

Me: (cannot speak as I am overcome by how much that crazy force REALLY wants me to become a vegetarian)

I don't know if you believe in fate folks, but you have to admit this is crazy. Whats even more amazing is how easily we transitioned into this new lifestyle. For two people that would eat sushi about once a week, we both just had this immediate change. In our heads, in our hearts, in our bodies - it just happened. And the rest is, well, a meatless history.

Which bring me to today. A year later. Now, even all you die-hard meat eaters must be slightly concerned with the recent 143 million pounds of beef recall - the largest meat recall in its history. I'm not trying to preach (don't eat meat) or convert (don't eat meat) or brainwash (don't eat meat). In fact, I don't even care if you give up meat or not (even though you should). But if you aren't willing to give up meat completely, at least try getting your meat from a less-alarming source. When buying your meat, just remember that the more you go with eco-meat, the better the chance that producers will change their ways. Check out the eat well guide to find where to get wholesome, fresh, sustainable food. You will make a difference!

As If I Couldn't Love Brandon Flowers Anymore Than I Already Do

2008-03-04T13:48:00.001-08:00

The Killers, covering one of the best love songs ever, on Live at Abbey Road.

Could it be more perfect?

<sigh> I *heart* it.

If I Wasn't Married...

2008-03-03T22:15:00.000-08:00

I'd be all over this.

I think I found my "special someone". Her name is Butterfly, and she is "looking for networking with others to heal the earth."

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go thank Tripple that I am no longer a single creative.

The Pussycat Preacher

2008-03-03T22:08:00.000-08:00

YES! You can still catch it! I'm being totally serious!

The Vuze Audience Favorites Winner at San Jose Cinequest, The Pussycat Preacher is a movie about a reformed stripper who finds God.

Heather comes up with an idea that if she could start a small ministry at her church to reach out to women in the sex industry, then perhaps she could save some lives.

Ironically, JC'S GIRLS is met with open arms by the sex industry, but back at church, the announcement of this "loving little ministry" goes over like a lead balloon. The resistance, mostly from church staff quickly reveals a historical bias against women as leaders in the Christian Church. It also uncovers a culture more interested in “respectability” than following the word of Jesus.

The last showing is this Wednesday at 9:30 at Camera 12. Tickets are $10, or $5 for students.

Check out the entire Cinequest line-up here . It ends this Sunday, so still lots of films to check out - including Autism: The Musical!

Yo Berry Yummy Goodness.

2008-03-03T21:50:00.001-08:00

First of all, is it really March already? Holy cow. When did that happen. Seriously, this weekend is Daylight Savings (yay for saving the daylight!!).

The sun has been shining, the hills are green - perfect froyo weather if you ask me. So you can imagine my excitement when a few weeks ago on our weekly Target trip, we stumbled upon an organic yogurt spot! Yes it's true! Only five miles away from my house!! God loves me! (Yes, I judge whether God loves by how close an organic froyo place is to my house, and how many NBA championships I've won).

So just as I was overjoyed with Fraiche (remember, the place with all the MacBooks that I so identify myself with), that first bite at Yo berry made my taste buds sing and my little mouth smile. Apparently I'm not the only one excited by having an organic tarty goodness froyo joint in the south side - check out the reviews on Yelp.

My wonderful husband, who loves me so much he's surprised me with Yo Berry twice now (again today!), says the service is great. They have a super friendly staff that insists he bring an ice pack home each time so that the yogurt stays nice and cold on the (albeit short) trip home.

My recommendation: Plain with dark chocolate shavings. Love. It.

This Is Pretty Much Every Morning in the Johnson Household

2008-02-20T12:30:00.001-08:00

Why I Will Never Eat At Sino Again.

2008-02-19T14:10:00.000-08:00

So it was my mom's 70th birthday last week, and to celebrate this momentous occasion, my sister, brother and I had a wonderful weekend planned for her. A nice dinner with just the family on Friday, and then game night with friends on Saturday. As mom said, it was the perfect plan.

If you know my mom, you know that she loves appetizers. She's known for filling up on appees before the main course is served, and is just fine with that, thank you. So my sister and I thought Sino would be a a great choice, since they serve small plates and mom could get lots of different dishes to try. So my sister made reservations for 8 at 7:30 PM on Friday through Open Table. She even put, "Celebrating Mom's 70th birthday" in the Special Requests for the Maitre D' box.

I case you don't know, this is what Open Table is, per their website:

When you book a table on OpenTable.com, your reservation is instantly recorded in the restaurant's computerized reservation book - the same one the restaurant's host uses to track all reservations. (It's the black terminal you may see when you arrive at the restaurant.)

Unlike other "online" reservation services which rely on faxes or table allocations, OpenTable has live Internet connections into the restaurants themselves. So restaurant availability information is up-to-date, and your reservations are confirmed.

My dad being the obsessive early bird that he is, we arrived at the restaurant about ten minutes early. We checked in and were told to come back when our entire party had arrived, and that they were just waiting for our table to clear. So as soon as my sister got there - right at 7:30 - we went back up to the hostess. They comment on how the enormous and beautiful flower arrangement my sister gave my mom was as big as she was, and we told them we were there to celebrate her 70th birthday. They told her happy birthday (lies!), and we were given a pager and now told that they "were just setting our table up". So we go outside to wait as the bar is crazy crowded.

10 minutes pass. Lots of people are walking in and getting tables. We have not.

Another 10 minute pass. We see a Sino employee outside having a smoke (yuk). My sister goes in to check on our table. Once again the hostess tells her they are "just setting it up". We are concerned that their employees are too dumb to know how to set up a table, but were tricked by the word "just" and continue to wait.

10 more minutes pass. It is now 8:00 and mom is irritated and hungry. So my sister goes back in and comes out a few minutes later and tells us they are missing a chair (what???), but to bring us all in. So we all go in and continue to stand around the hostess desk for a few minutes, when my mom, miss prissy pants, decides to go up there and tell the hostess that it is inexcusable to have us wait 30 minutes when we had a reservation.

This is when it gets good. So then the hostess tells us they don't actually take reservations, that using Open Table is similar to calling ahead, and that you are basically behind all the people that have already put their names down. So once you get there, even though you have made a reservation, you still have to wait behind all the other people that arrived at the restaurant before you.

Okay, I want to repeat that. Sino does not take reservations. Using Open Table, an online reservation service does not mean you have a reservation. Even when the restaurant calls you the day before to confirm your reservation - which is exactly what they did. No where on their Open Table page does it say they don't take reservations. Confused? So were we.

So my mom asks to speak with the manager, who incidentally turned out to be the same guy we saw having a smoke out front (apparently his cigarette was more important then finding his customers a chair). He comes over with this totally patronizing, "What seems to be the problem? Your table is ready now." Umm yeah... over 30 minutes later. No thank you.

So we told them we were leaving.

My sister reiterated how stupid it was that they had someone call to confirm our reservation that apparently did not exist. He told us it will be "very hard" to find a table for 8 in Santana Row at that time. We didn't care. We left.

We all discussed and decided to call our local sushi joint, Furu-Sato, to see if they could seat us. They said not a problem, that they would set up the table right then. As soon as we walked in they all greeted us warmly, gave mom the royal treatment all night, and we were happy to give them our hundreds of dollars rather than Sino. As mom and dad said, it was meant to be.

And now I will tell everyone I know that Sino has probably the worst customer service of any restaurant I have ever been to and I will never go there again.

Happy Valentines Day!

2008-02-14T10:52:00.000-08:00

I know some view it is a Hallmark holiday, and that you should show your love for those close to you everyday. But in this fast-paced world of war, disasters and political craziness, its kind of nice to have a day where everything is all about love.

In the words of the great John, Paul, George and Ringo:

All you need is love.
All you need is love.
All you need is love, love.
Love is all you need.

And what would elementary school be without it? You know you loved getting those cheap little valentines and heart candies.

Sustainable Love Makin'

2008-02-11T12:55:00.000-08:00

For all you eco-conscious lovers out there, TreeHugger has put together a really cute Valentine's Day Gift Guide. My favorite (PG-rated) tip? Make your own Valentine's card. I know Trip would appreciate that since he yelled at me and called me a hypocrite for sending store-bought Christmas cards this past year (I hate it when he's right).

They also have the How to Green Your Sex Life (Warning: there are some photos of um...toys. So either scroll really fast past them if you're at work, or take a look at home.). It's actually got some interesting tips and statistics. Like this fascinating one:

Since days of yore, lovers have turned to natural herbs and special foods to find stimulation, endurance, and sexual health. While we can’t vouch for any of these, and all supplements should be taken with caution and/or professional advise, it is rumored that herbs like ginseng, kava kava root, damiana leaves, kelp, tribulus, ginko biloba, rhodiola rosea, and of course horny goat weed can help stoke the flames of passion—even more so if certified organic.

Horny goat weed? Who names this stuff? "Ginseng, kava kava root, damiana leaves, kelp, tribulus, ginko biloba, rhodiola rosea, and of course horny goat weed". Love it.

My New Obsession.

2008-02-08T10:40:00.000-08:00

I had dinner with a friend in Palo Alto last night, and after our yummy noodle bowls from Zao, she suggested we go get some frozen yogurt. Of course I was up for it, but prepared myself for being let down, as I knew it wouldn't compare to Yummy Yogurt in Santa Clara. That place is seriously the bees knees.

So after our brisk walk down Emerson, we get to Fraiche Yogurt, and I am immediate in love. The decor is perfect. The staff was hip and helpful. And judging by all the Mac laptops - well, these were my people.

But it doesn't stop there. In fact, it only gets better. Like waaaaaay better. I should let them explain:

Fraiche is a homemade, organic fresh yogurt and frozen yogurt café located in downtown Palo Alto. All of our European-style yogurts are made from scratch, in-house using local Clover organic milk and a special probiotic-focused culture. Our fresh yogurts are the basis for our frozen yogurt. So, whether you feel like fresh or frozen yogurt, you'll still enjoy the same health benefits.

We believe in the goodness of pure, simple foods and that you shouldn't have to choose between "great tasting" and "good for you". We use only the finest ingredients to handcraft the most delicious yogurts and specialty toppings you can find. With our selection of fresh-cut fruits, local honeys and purees, toasted nuts, homemade granola, and hand-shaved Callebaut chocolate, we hope you have fun creating your own mouth-watering treat!

I think it goes without saying which topping I got on my soy froyo. And yes, it was as good as it sounds.

Actually, it's even better.

Check out this recent SF Chronicle article. And then go there. Fast. And bring me some.

Ummmm Okay....

2008-02-06T12:09:00.000-08:00

This was in my inbox today:

Da-huh? What? I'm so confused.

I love how its the WORLD'S largest collection of Star Trek "artifacts".

Is His Term Over YET?

2008-02-04T16:06:00.001-08:00

Doesn't this make you proud to be an American.

And speaking of Bush (who got us in this mess), how cool is this! 350 days, people! (Seems like FOREVER).

Only 350 More Days.

2008-02-04T16:06:00.000-08:00

Doesn't this make you proud to be an American.

Speaking of Bush's term being over, how cool is this?!?

2 Hour Commute Bad. Sunny Skies Good.

2008-01-30T10:34:00.000-08:00

I started back at school this week, which is why I haven't blogged since last Friday. Trying to get back into the whole balancing work-school-commute thing.

But I now work from home on Wednesdays as well as Fridays (YAAAAY!), and it couldn't have come at a better time. My two hour drive home last night due to the tanker trailer gas spill in Redwood City was awesome. It rained the entire time and my bum hurt by the time I got home.

But I'm in a much better mood today, mainly due to this much prettier view from my home office window:

Hooray for blue skies and green hills! Purdy!

The View From My Window.

2008-01-25T15:04:00.000-08:00

In the spirit of Andrew Sullivan, I give you the view from my window:

Gloomy, rainy, windy South San Jose. But the hills are starting to turn green!

Unsafe Physical Gyrations? NEVER!

2008-01-24T11:39:00.000-08:00

So fours months into my commute, I got a ticket. I'm actually really surprised it wasn't for speeding, and even more surprised that it was for failing to come to a complete stop at a stop sign. What a lame reason to get a ticket, huh. I mean, who doesn't do the California stop?

Well not me - not anymore. Because it resulted in a $190 ticket - and having to go to traffic school. Learn from my mistakes, folks!

So here I am, on winter break from school, and well, going to school. But it's online - which is way convenient - and I'm actually learning quite a lot. Like this GEM:

Radio - Finding a station and looking down at the radio takes the driver's eyes away from the road. Leaning over to change the station often causes the vehicle to veer off course and increases the potential for getting into a collision. The use of preset buttons to locate stations is important, since locating a station should never adversely affect your driving. Additionally, some people combine driving with dancing. Music is often stimulating, yet physical gyrations while driving can interfere and prove to be unsafe.

I don't know whats worse, that fact that people are idiotic enough for this to be included in the Driver Distractions section of the course, or that fact that they think dancing in the car is a bad idea. Now, besides the not-coming-to-a-complete-stop thing, I am a law abiding citizen. But this I cannot conform to. I will let the man take away my drunken 100 MPH joy-rides, but I refuse, REFUSE to stop physical gyrations. I am appalled.

Cooking (and Eating) Makes the Blues Go Away.

2008-01-23T11:38:00.000-08:00

I have an admission to make. We didn't go see BODYWORLDS 2 on Monday. In fact, we barely left the house. I guess it was due to Blue Monday. Whatever the reason, I just didn't feel like going downtown and dealing with parking and rain and.... people.

So what did I do? I stayed home and cooked all day! It was awesome!

It all started with an episode of Healthy Appetite with Ellie Krieger on the Food Network (my favorite cooking show), where one of the dishes she made was breakfast cookies. Now I don't know about you, but I'm pretty much all over any excuse to eat cookies for breakfast. Let the baking begin!

But since I needed to run to Whole Foods to grab a few ingredients, I figured I would look through my cookbooks to see what else I could make. I'm usually home so late I never have time to make dishes that require, well, time. So my day's agenda turned into "what I can I make?", and I was super stoked.

I went through my fridge to see what we had, and more importantly, what needed to be eaten. Trip had bought some wonderful Japanese eggplant a few days before, and I have been craving Dish Dash, so thought I could try to recreate one of my favorite dishes there - musaka'a. So I Googled it and found a recipe. Hooray! I was then delighted to find that I already had all of the ingredients I needed to make another dish have been dying to make but have never had the time - Greek Bulgur and Lentil Salad.

So here they are, my Rainy Day Recipes to Keep the Blues Away:

Breakfast Cookies
Copyright 2007 Ellie Krieger, All rights reserved

Ingredients
3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup (1 small jar) strained carrot baby food
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup bran cereal flakes
1/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup walnut pieces, lightly toasted in a dry skillet for 2 minutes, until fragrant and chopped
Place rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Whisk together flours, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a medium-sized bowl.
Combine butter, oil and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix on high speed, scraping down sides if necessary, until sugars have dissolved and mixture is light in color, about 1 minute. Add egg, carrot puree and vanilla and beat an additional 30 seconds. Add flour mixture and beat an additional 30 seconds. Add oats, flakes, raisins and walnuts and mix over low speed just until incorporated. Dough will be slightly sticky and less cohesive than traditional cookie dough.
Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Using between 3 to 4 tablespoons of batter, form a ball and place on cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining batter, leaving about 3 inches between cookies.
Wet hands and use palm of hand to flatten cookies until about 1/4-inch thick.
Bake for 12 minutes, until cookies are fragrant but still soft. Let cookies cool slightly, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Okay, doesn't really seem like a great alternative to Total, but it actually has a good amount of fiber, protein, and monounsaturated fats. Plus they're hecka good and make your house smell delightful. Oh, and I don't have a stand mixer (damn it), but my hand mixer worked just fine.

Musaka'a

Ingredients
3 Tb. Olive oil
1 lrg Eggplant cut into 1/2" rounds
Salt & pepper to season

1/4 cup Olive oil
1 Onion - chopped
3 Tomatoes - peeled, seeded, chopped
2 cups Chickpeas - cooked, rinsed (I didn't precook mine and they turned out fine - nice and soft)
1 cup Water or tomato juice (I used water)
Salt & pepper to season
Preheat oven to 400º.
Sautéed the eggplant in 3 tablespoons of hot oil, until lightly browned and softened.
While the eggplant is cooking, heat the 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté till translucent. Add tomatoes, chickpeas, water or tomato juice and seasonings. Bring to a boil and stir to heat through. Adjust seasoning.
Place the eggplant in a casserole dish and pour the tomato-onion mixture over all. Place in oven and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until bubbling through. (The last three minutes I put the naan in the oven as well).
Remove and serve hot or at room temperature.

I served this with garlic naan, although pita would probably have been more geographically correct. But the naan was off the hook.

Bulgur and Lentil Greek Salad

1 1/2 cups water
3/4 cup bulgur
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup dry lentils
2 cups water
1 med tomato, chopped
1 small cucumber, quartered lengthwise and sliced
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1 2 1/4 oz. can sliced pitted ripe olives, drained
1/2 cup crumbled feta

Greek-Style Vinaigrette
1/3 cup olive oil
3 Tb. red wine vinegar
1 Tb. Sugar
1 Tb. lemon juice
1 Tsp. dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. dried oregano, crushed
In a medium saucepan bring 1 1/2 cups water to boil; remove from heat. Stir in bulgar and salt. Cover; let stand for 30 minutes. Drain thoroughly, pressing bulgur to remove excess water.
Meanwhile, rinse lentils. In another medium saucepan combine 2 cups water and the lentils. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until tender; drain. Rinse with cold waster; drain again.
For Greek-Style Vinaigrette, combine all ingredients in a screw-top jar and shake well. Cover and store in the refrigerator. Shake well before using. (Can be stored for up to 2 weeks).
In a large mixing bowl combine cooked bulgur, cooked lentils, tomato, cucumber, onion and olives. Toss mixture with Greek-Style Vinaigrette (recipe to follow). Cover and chill at least 4 hours or over night. Before serving stir in feta.

Those close to me will be oh-so very impressed that even though both of these dishes had tomatoes in them, I was able to eat them! Actually, I even liked them! I think the trick is cutting them up really small. :-)

Actor Heath Ledger Is Found Dead.

2008-01-22T14:12:00.000-08:00

Sad.

Some Tuesday (but more like Monday since yesterday was a holiday) Filler

2008-01-22T14:02:00.000-08:00

I'm working on a post, but work is a bit hectic after having yesterday off, so thought I would at least pass on Ideal Bite's Daily Tip from yesterday so that you can read someone else's blog.

What's green and bytes and read all over?

The Bite
Eco-blogs. If you like your news fast, free, and green, check out one of our favorite online sites that proves green news is good news.

The Benefits
You read it here first. Green blogs get you the info before papers or TV.
No subscription fee. Our picks are totally free.
Personally Speaking
We've got a total writer-crush on David Roberts at Grist.

Wanna Try?
Gristmill - enviro-news blog with a sense of humor; home to David Roberts's columns.
Ecorazzi - eco-celeb gossip; think US Weekly for greenies.
Treehugger - we love the peeps at TH, even if they got to be on Oprah before we did.

I too love the peeps at TH, and have long been a fan. Gristmill and Ecorazzi are new to me, and I'm always stoked to find cool new blogs, so I've just added them to my bookmarks!

BODYWORLDS 2 Ends 1/26!

2008-01-18T16:33:00.000-08:00

Note to self: Eating sundried tomatoes and mozzarella balls is not a good idea when looking at pictures like this:

Whoa.

So the BODYWORLDS 2 & The Three Pound Gem exhibit at the San Jose Tech Museum of Innovation started September 27, and we still haven't gone to see it. And now I find out that it ends next weekend! Yikes!!! The goods news is both Trip and I have Monday off (I think this is the first time since high school that I've had Martin Luther King Jr Day off! Yay BlogHer!), so we're going to make a conscious effort to see it!

If you're not familiar with this exhibit, well, let me let them explain:

BODYWORLDS 2 & The Three Pound Gem presents the complexity and beauty of the human body, preserved through Plastination, the groundbreaking method of specimen preservation invented by anatomist Dr. Gunther von Hagens. More than 200 authentic human specimens offer visitors profound insights into the form and function of the human body, wellness and disease, and the mysterious world of the brain.

From infancy to adolescence, and adulthood to old age, the brain chisels, refines, matures, and transforms itself. BODYWORLDS 2 & The Three Pound Gem includes a special debut feature on the brain inspired by the latest findings in neuroscience.

I've had many friends go, and from what they say, it is a must see. I admit I am a bit apprehensive, as I'm not a fan of anything gory or gross, let alone the insides of a REAL human being. But the health buff in me (if trying to not eat processed food and maybe running three days a week constitutes being a "buff") is dying to see this. No pun intended.

When Design-Junkies Blog.

2008-01-17T17:13:00.000-08:00

During my weekly visit to the $2000 ambient fireplace that is begging to live in my bedroom (I NEED it), I came across a new obsession - Chiasso has started a blog! It showcases beautiful, interesting, innovative designs - and its informative at that!

The first post I came across is way awesome. I admit I am one of those cold-hearted "organizers" she mentions (Although my other half may beg to differ. Lord knows I can't compete with his OCD), but this post gave me a new outlook on organizing. Like:

"Ever packed for a trip, then realized, hopefully before the taxi to the airport arrived, that you’ve waaaaaaaaay overpacked? Well, your home is that suitcase, and someday soon that zipper’s gonna break and it won’t be pretty."

It's like she's talking to me!

Maybe keeping those receipts from 2001 isn't really that great of an idea.

Colbert in the Smithsonian. The Coolest Thing Ever.

2008-01-17T12:42:00.000-08:00

I was so used to not watching The Daily Show (or A Daily Show as it's known during the writers' strike) and The Colbert Report for so long that I've had a hard time keeping up with them the last few weeks. And it doesn't help that Project Runway and American Idol are also on right now. But I did catch part one of a multi-part segment on The Colbert Report where Stephen is attempting to get his portrait submitted to the Smithsonian (you know, the one where it's him standing in front of a portrait of him standing in front of a portrait of him standing in front of a portrait of him).

So I was delighted when I saw this link on Yahoo ! News:

Smithsonian finds a special place for Stephen Colbert's portrait

Seriously, this is freakin' awesome.

Here's an excerpt from the caption that's next to the portrait:

While this triple portrait is not one that would typically be accessioned into the portrait gallery's permanent collection, NPG agreed to go along with the joke and hang the portrait for a limited time. In episodes of The Colbert Report that aired on January 10, 14, and 15, 2008, Colbert tries to convince the Smithsonian that he should be considered a national treasure. He attempts to donate his portrait to the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, but the museum's director suggests that perhaps Colbert should speak to the National Portrait Gallery. Finally, after much "discussion," the director of the National Portrait Gallery finds an appropriate place to hang Colbert's portrait, in between the bathrooms and above the water fountain.

Hil-a-ri-ous. Now I can't wait to see the rest of the segments!

Resolutions Update.

2008-01-14T15:01:00.000-08:00

It's been couple weeks since I posted my resolutions, so I thought I should give a quick update, since usually these things fall apart after about six hours (okay, maybe that's just me).

Eat More Fresh, Organic, and Raw
I've actually been doing really well with this! I've had a piece of fruit with breakfast every morning, and we've been eating fresh vegetables with every dinner. Either a salad or some quickly steamed veggies on the side. My next goal is to get to the farmers market every week!

Use Organic Beauty Products
My sister took me to a lovely spa day for my birthday, and one of my treatments was a facial. The aesthetician asked me what I am currently using. I told her it's funny she should ask that, as I recently resolved to use only organic products. Her reply - "Hmmmm, so only organic. Interesting." When I asked her if she thought that was a bad thing she just said, "No not necessarily." I was going to say, "Did you know they test EVERY batch of Botax on animals?", but decided to not get into it with her and just shut up. So, doing well so far, with a bit of static from the people trying to make money off me. Oh, and I totally broke out after that facial.

Go to the Gym at Least Three Days a Week
Well it hasn't been that long, but so far I'm sticking to it. It's a lot harder than I thought, especially with an hour commute each way, but I am really making the effort! Step One is the hard part - getting out of bed early enough so I have time to go before work. I like morning nuggles. Is that so wrong?

Streeeeeeeetch More
So stretching after the gym has been going well, but stretching every night not so well. Honestly, I just forget. Maybe I need a sticky note on my TV, because that I do not forget.

Meditate for at Least 5 Minutes Everyday
This is the one I have been slacking on. Five minutes - really, Joy. Is that so hard? Ugh. I am lame.

Have More Fun!
This past Saturday I had a little get together for my 32nd birthday, a Game Night Potluck. I know, doesn't sound that hip and happenin' - I find that in my 30s the birthdays are a bit less wild and glamorous than they used to be. But I have to say, it was one of the most fun birthdays I've had in a long time (my 30th might have been the most fun, but I don't remember any of it). I realized this weekend that I am blessed with some really great friends, and I should not take that for granted. So I reworked this resolution to include having more fun with friends as well. <SMILE>

Foodies Rejoice!

2008-01-11T13:28:00.000-08:00

San Francisco’s ever-popular Dine About Town starts next week. From Jan. 15-31, over 100 of San Francisco's top restaurants will offer 3-course prix-fixe menus at $21.95 for lunch and $31.95 for dinner. Many of these meals can go for more than $50 a person.

This is your chance to savor some of the nation’s most talked-about cuisine at San Francisco’s hottest restaurants without breaking the bank. Even better, you can make your restaurant reservations now online. Act fast, as time slots during these 3 weeks will fill up fast!

Click here for all the delectable details including a list of participating restaurants provided by the San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Of course Millennium nor Greens are not included, but there are plenty of good restaurants participating.

"You're likable enough." Ew.

2008-01-09T14:11:00.000-08:00

I've kind of been on the fence in regard to who I will be supporting in the Democratic primaries. I've gone from Edwards to Clinton to Obama, and back again. Really my main concern has just been getting a Democrat into the White House.

But after watching the New Hampshire debates, I've made up my mind. And I'm pretty excited to actually be excited!

Despite the Obama-Edwards "gang up on Hillary fest" (what was that about?), Hillary proved that she is tough and compassionate - qualities I believe to be essential in a good leader. I also thought she had great, intelligent, believable answers.

But what really sealed the deal for me? Check out this clip:

Could Obama be anymore condescending? She was actually complimenting him, and then he had to make that snide, calculated comment. I was really disappointed in him.

Hillary's response was perfect, though:

"You know, I think this is one of the most serious decisions that the voters of New Hampshire have ever had to make. And I really believe that the most important question is, who is ready to be president on day one?

In 2000 we, unfortunately, ended up with a president who people said they wanted to have a beer with; who said he wanted to be a uniter, not a divider; who said that he had his intuition and he was going to really come into the White House and transform the country. And you know, at least I think there are the majority of Americans who think that was not the right choice."

The best part, Obama's next answer when asked to respond to the focus on him during the Republican debate earlier that night, he said, "Well, you know, I have to admit that I was going back and forth between the Republicans and football."

Oh, so now we can vote for the president we want to watch a football game with. Aw shucks! He's so likable!

GO HILLARY!

And check out this post from a colleague at BlogHer, Morra Aarons, on Why Thirtysomething Women need Hillary Clinton, and Why She Needs Us.

You can find the entire transcript of the debate here.

Happy Birthday to Me. :(

2008-01-09T10:21:00.001-08:00

So it was my birthday on Sunday. It was pretty low-key. Just dinner plans with my brother and sister-in-law. But Trip and I were so looking forward, as we were going to Merit Vegetarian (which you would know from previous posts is my new favorite restaurant).

The day was all planned around this meal - we got up and had smoothies for breakfast, went and worked out, and then had a really light lunch - preparing our bellies for the massive feast.

So we get there, and as we're pulling up I notice that all the lights were out. My brother and sister-in-law had arrived before us, but both had left their cells at home, so were sitting waiting to tell us the bad news. Taped to the door was a hand-written sign, "We will be closed on Sunday, January 6th."

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Of course we're STARVING at this point, so I try to think of something yummy in the area. And since we were in Sunnyvale, I thought Dish Dash would be a nice alternative. I used to go there all the time when I worked in Sunnyvale, and haven't been in over 4 months, so was actually looking forward to it as we were driving over there.

But as we pull up, I realized my birthday is doomed.

All the light were out. Closed on Sundays.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

By this time we're STARVING STARVING, and we see that Thai Basil is open, so we go there. Which actually turned out quite nice, but definitely no Dish Dash. And nowhere close to Merit.

Is this a sign of what's to come this year???

Healthy Joy for 2008.

2008-01-02T16:24:00.000-08:00

I know, I know. You're sick of all the resolution whohaw of the new year. But it really is a good time to reevaluate one's life and set some goals for yourself. My coworker blogged about the BlogHer 2008 Good Health-a-thon (awesome read!), and it got me thinking. So here are mine:

Eat More Fresh, Organic, and Raw
You probably think this should be easy for a vegetarian, but surprisingly enough, its not. Because there are so many yummy processed veggie meals nowadays, its easy to fall into that rut. Like Gardenburger's Riblets. YUM.

So my goal is to eat fresh fruit or vegetables with each meal, either raw or steamed. Also, my mother-in-law bought us a juicer for Christmas, and carrot and apple juice is my new favorite post-workout snack, so I'm hoping this helps me stay on track even more.

Use Organic Beauty Products
So here I am being super cautious as to what I put in my body (no meat, no caffeine, no soda, only organic). But what about what I put on the outside? According to Pharmacopia.net, over 5,000 chemicals are used in personal care products alone. Scary.

The skin, the body's largest organ, is the most typical absorption point of everyday toxins. Up to 60 percent of certain ingredients in body products, such as lotion, cream and bubble bath, will absorb through the skin and into the bloodstream. Then the chemicals will accumulate in target organs, or are metabolized through the system, in some instances over a period of years, according to the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York.

Unlike the term "natural," products labeled as "organic" are carefully certified and regulated by the USDA. In organic products, synthetic fertilizers and poisonous pesticides are strictly prohibited.

We were at Whole Foods this weekend (of course), and decided to try some organic shampoo (Mainly because Trip said I need to stop spending hundreds of dollars on bumble and kerastase. Sad.). You could get lost in the beauty section there. I'm sure I will be spending lots of time there in the future.

Go to the Gym at Least Three Days a Week
In my 20s, I was a workout fanatic. But then I got a burnt out, and stopped going to the gym altogether. That was about a year ago. On December 1st, my husband and I rejoined the gym, and so far I have kept up my goal of going at least three times a week (more like barely three times a week). Since my commute is hell, I have been going to the gym before work, which breaks up my commute quite nicely. I run for 30 minutes (3 miles), then I do 30 minutes of weights - one set of each machine, for a total of 17 machines. My husband thinks I should break up my muscles groups and do three sets of each, so I may start doing that. I just have to keep getting up early. That's the tricky part.

Streeeeeeeetch More
I am so bad about stretching. And Lord knows I'm wound up tighter than <something clever goes here>. So one of my resolutions is to stretch after every workout, and every night before I go to bed. I started last night, while I sat in front of the TV watching The Biggest Loser (anyone else totally motivated and inspired by the people that go on that show??). I know I should be doing it in a quiet room, using it is time for reflection, but who has the time for that?

Meditate for at Least 5 Minutes Everyday
So, um ya. Obviously I need to make more time for the quiet time. Lately I have been turning off the radio during my commute home, but that probably isn't the best time to let the mind wander off into a meditative state. So I will spend 5 minutes every night, before I get into bed, to just sit and not do anything or think about anything. This is harder than it sounds. Especially with a TV in the bedroom.

Have More Fun!
Trip and I used to be really good at planning little weekend activities. We would plan little day trips to Monterey, MOMA, or even just a day-long bike ride all the time. But then school and work and this crazy commute of mine kind of took over our lives. So my resolution is to plan at least one "Fun" event a month - just the two of us.

So that's about it, I think. Pretty good list of attainable, healthy, life improving resolutions :) What about you? Are you ready to join the 2008 Good Health-a-thon?

Happy Happy Joy Joy!

2007-12-31T12:32:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to wish everyone a happy and safe New Years Eve! I'm looking forward to a new, fabulous year for all of us!

I feel that you are justified in looking into the future with true assurance, because you have a mode of living in which we find the joy of life and the joy of work harmoniously combined. Added to this is the spirit of ambition which pervades your very being, and seems to make the day's work like a happy child at play.

-Albert Einstein

Christmas Thank Yous.

2007-12-30T12:37:00.000-08:00

Sorry, my last post was pretty depressing, I know. I woke up in a much better mood today, so I'll change gears.

Need to write out thank you cards for all those holiday gifts? I know I do. How about these from greener grass design (another one of my favorite websites):

There are two each of "Thank You", "Gracias" and "Merci" - all with beautiful modern designs.

Let them know you really meant it when you said "I love it!".

I'm Sad.

2007-12-29T20:22:00.001-08:00

Last night we tried to save a cat that was obviously hit by a car. A friend called, in tears, having seen the cat while driving to meet us for dinner. What made her stop was the breath she saw coming out of the cat.

We met our friend, and put a towel over the cat while we waited for animal control. We talked to the cat, tried to be calming and let him/her know that help was on the way. We could tell he/she was in a really bad shape, though.

Help took too long. My husband carried her in the towel and we drove to the nearest emergency animal hospital. We got there and my husband brought the cat into the hospital, none of us saying what we were sure had happened on the car ride over. The technician did it for us. Unfortunately, the kitty didn't make it.

We cried, but told each other that at least the kitty's final moments were in a warm car with loving people.

I can't even imagine what the owners are going through. I hate whoever did this - I can't believe they didn't stop. I wonder if the kitty received care earlier, if he/she would have made it.

Farewell sweet kitty. We tried. We really did.

Obese Sleeping Boy and Drunk Rude Boy Go To The Movies.

2007-12-26T19:56:00.000-08:00

Do I have "If you are rude, inconsiderate, and obnoxious then please come sit right next to me" tattooed on my forehead?

Let me explain. Mr. Johnson and I had a wonderful idea to go to the movies today. We've had quite the whirlwind last few days: his mother arriving from Charlotte on Thursday, La Fondue for his birthday Friday, a holiday dinner party at a friend's Saturday, driving to Sacramento to see my mom's church choir perform Sunday, my parents arriving at our house Monday for Christmas Eve dinner at Merit Vegetarian - everyone loved it! - and a two-hour Christmas light lookin' drive, and then hosting Christmas dinner for nine at our house (I got tired just typing all that out). So we were ready for a little alone time. We went and worked out first (after all the booze and sugar of the past five days, I had to get my butt up and do something), and then went to the movie theater to see Juno.

We got there fairly early but all the middle seats were already taken except for the last row - which we never sit in, but decided to try out.

Bad idea.

Apparently if you are 16 and ghetto and want to sneak beer into the theater, you sit in the last row. Which is exactly what two gentlemen did.

The loud talking started during the previews, which really annoyed me because I love previews. But then the obese one (in no means do I say this in a derogatory way. Just trying to paint a clear picture here, folks) of the two fell asleep like ten minutes into the movie, which I thought was promising. I was wrong. The rude one did not fall asleep and talked, laughed at inappropriate times, sent texts, threw popcorn at some friends in the row in front, and drank his beer throughout. Why go to a movie if you are going to talk and send text messages throughout? I don't get that. Can someone please explain that to me?

And Mr. Johnson brought another great point. Of all the movies that are out right now, why would a 16 year-old ghetto ass kid go to see Juno???? I can't even begin to wrap my head around that one, but whatever.

We've had some good experience ignoring annoying people the last few weeks due to an extremely inconsiderate neighbor (that's a WHOLE other story), so I am happy to say that after letting the blood boil for a few minutes, we were able to ignore Rude Drunk Boy and enjoy the movie, which I do recommend. It made me laugh. It made me cry. I loved it.

At the end, Obese Sleeping Boy woke up and asked Rude Drunk Boy to recap the movie. I am not kidding. To which Rude Drunk Boy said, "It was good, a 'quarky' (not a typo) kind of movie".

Wha- HUH?

This is the future of America, folks.

I Couldn't Make This Up.

2007-12-20T13:30:00.000-08:00

If you haven't read the comments (two!) from my The WORST Christmas Light Display(s) post, miguelito brought up one of our country's favorite Christmas lawn decor, the precious nativity scene - with flood light pointing directly at baby Jesus Christ Our Savior.

Can you believe someone would have the audacity to steal one of these baby Jesuses! Well what about 12!

I just read this article about 12 baby Jesus figurines that were stolen from lawn nativity scenes, leaving only a note:

"Do not worry for baby Jesus is not gone, yet he is just not born, yet. You can find your dear Jesus at OLPH (Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church) on his birthday."

The horror. THE HORROR! Thankfully, the stealers came to their senses and brought them all to the church early.

And yet through it all, one person who suffered the tragedy was still able to think clearly and rationally about how she will protect her Baby Jesus in the future - just as any good Christian would.

"I think I'll nail it down."