9teen

1. Having a home base for the next 2 weeks has taken so much stress out of my life. It's only been a day and I've already gotten so much more done and feel so much more steady and focused. The past few weeks were a bit intense. Thanks to Liah for letting me stay at her place while she is in Wisconsin.

2. Sleeping in a real bed for the first time in 2 weeks. I've thought about sleeping on a platform with a thin cushion because I know I feel great when I sleep on the earth during camping trips, but the past 2 weeks has been various kinds of floors with my sleeping bag and it's just not the same as the soft giving earth. Last night I slept so amazingly well.

3. The Haight on a daily basis. It's always been one of my favorite parts of town, so it's cool seeing it from the new perspective of living here for a few weeks.

4. Cliff from Adventure Out. Tanya and I had a conference call with him today to get advice on the sustainable adventure travel company she and I are starting. It was unbelievably helpful and saved us hours of work and investigation. It's always best to just ask someone who is already doing something similar to what you're doing. They can also help you avoid mistakes. Thanks, Cliff!

5. Haight Organic Market is super duper cheap! I bought a whole bag full of delicious produce for only $19.

6. Winter in SF isn't really about death like winter back east was. Here it's a sort of rebirth - everything goes from brown and dry to lush and green. I am hopelessly in love with this city. Cala lillies start blooming everywhere. It only gets 10 degrees colder than in the summer. I can go hiking all the time and be super active.

7. Guacamole is one of my favorite foods. I can make it a million different ways and never tire of it. Lately, I've been really into putting some mango in it.

8. The view from Tanya's office is pretty killer. If I were her, I'd stare out the window all day.

9. Raw chocolate at the mall it was not the most amazing chocolate, but it was decent and the fact that I found it in the mall when I was going crazy for chocolate was great!

10. Traveling with a blender. It makes me laugh how I have been carrying it with me from house to house as I stay in all these different places while I sublet my apartment.

11. Stacey's Books is someplace I have to go in every time I pass by it. It's such a great indie book store, of which there are tons in SF, but not many near Market Street. I love curling up in a corner and checking out some things. I have always loved libraries and bookstores, since I was a child. My mother is to thank for that.

12. Re-reading books. I actually sat and read a book I had read their before, a year or 2 ago. I loved it but didn't want to buy it, and it was funny how I went in and thought of it right away. Maybe it's telling me what I need to do. :)

13. Jalapeno fingers. I've got a slight heated tingle in my fingers from chopping. It's nice added warmth for the 55 degree weather.

14. The sneaker art piece on Liah's wall. She and/or her boyfriend sliced a sneaker in half to see how it was constructed and framed it. It makes me smile.

15. Shiterature in other people's homes. This is what I call the literature tucked in the bathroom for people to read when they poo. The bathroom of the current house I am staying in has an odd assortment of a book called "Gay Science", an issue of playboy, a few copies of Nat Geo, a Kama Sutra book, and some political mags.

16. Big old Victorians with a million rooms are so special. Definitely one of my favorite features of this city. It's all about attention to details and beauty. As a visual artist, this makes sense to me. Form and function, not one compromised for the other. It's smart.

17. Writing for friends makes me feel good. Zach asked me to write one of his recommendations for this 10 Year Gongfu program he wants to do somewhere in NorCal and I really enjoyed writing about his character and positive energy and traits. When you create room in your life for amazing people like that and refuse to accept less, you attract more of them. I am very grateful for the loving, positive, productive group of friends I have in this city.

18. Carol Alt at 47 is great publicity for the raw food lifestyle. I can't believe how amazing she looks for her age!

19. Making up is a good feeling.

20. Minimalist rooms are great for focus. I have gotten so much more work done staying in Liah's space. Definitely will be using this inspiration to reconfigure my work area when I am back in my own apartment.

21. Space for myself to just sit and be alone and meditate and focus on all the beauty in my life. Space to work on the things I need to do now. Space to step back from the chaos of the time and be really present.