On bicycling and circling...

Wow, August is almost gone and it has proven to be such a hectic month. I was literally celebrating birthdays every weekend. So, so fun!

It has been such a whirlwind month of work, friends, family and surprises along the way. This little blogger is missing her first love - Sleep. I'm not complaining at all but I have a feeling that Sleep is starting to get suspicious of me. The late nights is taking a toll on our relationship. I hope she doesn't leave me (^_^)

Work is getting busier everyday. My projects are getting more complicated and the deadlines shorter. I enjoy the challenge though because it makes my work day go by faster but it leaves me with little to no down time at work.

Outside of work, I am spending quality time with friends, family and myself. It's so important for me to have my alone time. Only in my down time can I process all the events that are happening in my life, send out a big high five to the universe and be thankful. It also gives me the opportunity to reach out to you through this medium of communication and know that you are never far away from my mind.

I've been meeting cool new friends and re-connecting with old ones. Speaking of reconnecting... for my bloggies out there that's been on this blogger coaster ride with me for the last couple of years, I'm sure you'll remember "ridiculously cute, biker dude" (circa 2008). We reconnected last week. He reached out and I reached back. Its amazes me how the circle of life works. People come in and out of our lives. The best we can do is to be as kind and compassionate as we can while they are in it and hopefully they will pay it forward. It's been close to 2 years since we last had contact but it felt like no time passed at all when we saw each other again last week. The conversation flowed just as well as it did when we sat on that blue bench one warm Thursday afternoon.

What does it all mean? Who knows. I never ask such questions anymore. I just let things be. We are only limited to what we know. Our mind is confined to the capacity of how far out we can think and even then, it is still limited. There's a whole world of possibilities out there and I embrace it all. Let the impossibilities be your possibilities. Just try it on for size and you'll discover that your world is not so small anymore, there's hope for things to get better, there's a better job, there's love waiting to be discovered, and more amazing people to meet.

I get so blind sighted sometimes that I fail to see past the possibility that is in front of me. I always think, 'This is it. It cannot possibly get any better than this.' And then the Universe laughs and throws me a curve ball. So what does one do? I grab my pink bat and batter up!

To add balance to the mix, I started volunteering through my company. Instead of signing up to different volunteer sites, my company offers a one stop shop for all my volunteering needs. Last weekend I was at Project Open Hand bagging beans and nuts. I also unboxed about a 1000 bags of lettuce and transferred it to a milk crate and the same for the 1000 frozen packages of chicken legs and thighs. Yes, it was hard but fun at the same time. I had the chance to socialize with employees from other departments. I'm signed up for the rest of the year and looking forward to my next one. I'll be volunteering at the annual Ghirardelli Chocolate Festival....yum!!!!

Oh, I also spent a glorious Sunday picnicking at Tomales Bay a couple of weeks ago. I must have eaten at least a dozen oysters on top of all the other delish food people brought. I just remember passing out at about 7:00pm that evening and rubbing my tummy because it was in pain from eating too much!

Staying true to the obsessive-compulsive that I can be at times, I bought my bike last weekend. Super Yeay! I enjoyed my biking experience a few weeks ago that I purchased one as soon as I had the chance. I'm taking her for a long ride this weekend. I haven't named her yet. Any suggestions?

Project Open Hand - Chicken are not nuggets :D

My nameless bike.

What rhymes with bike? mike?

I don't want to give her or him the wrong idea.

What if I use her full name, bicycle?

icicle? what about cuticle or popsicle? i got it, muscle coz that's what i'll be building with this puppy :)

Chili Cook-off night at the bar where Tanya works.

My niece's birthday (Joelle, Joie, Joan, Jake and Julie aka mom). Holy Geez, say those names 10 times fast! What's up with all the Js!

Tanya's birthday celebration at Encore Karaoke Bar. We did a 70's theme party. I was so pumped! I got to bust out my bell bottoms and platforms. The bells were so big, it was in the bar even before I walked in...lol!

My dear someone,

I've been meaning to miss you

But I can't today

Tomorrow is not looking good either

Missing you...next week...maybe,

Jakey

Complete pics here: share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0MaMmTZy3YstK

There's no Me in Kid But There's a Kid in Me

The usual suspects went camping over the weekend. It was so nice to get out of the City and thaw because somebody forgot to tell SF that it's summertime!

We went to Clear Lake. It's about 2 1/2 hours north of SF. I drove the girls and got to our site a little before midnight. Pitched our tent, drank some beers, ate S'mores, giggled and passed out.

The following day I woke up with the Sun angrily beating down on the tent. I felt like I was baking alive and it was only a little after 8am!

The campsite was very dry. There were trees for shade but the Sun was hot. By lunchtime we were all itching to swim in the lake. So we packed the SUV and made our way to the Campground's beach/lake. We got to the spot and the smell of porter potty greeted us. YUCK!

We walked up to the pseudo beach and the stench only got worse because now we had an extra closer look at the water....super ewwww!

So the gang sprinted back to the car to find another swimming spot!

The aforementioned beach/lake

Car ride on the way to Highlands Springs Lake

We finally found a clean swimming spot thanks to a lady at the convenient store. She directed us to a picnic/swimming/hiking spot for locals.

We had such a great time at this lake. I jumped in the water twice using the rope and did a jump off of a tree branch. I love unleashing my inner kid!

Highland Springs Lake (Clear Lake, CA) - SO, SO FUN!

Deliriously happy after the swim

We were pretty hungry after swimming and mexican food was the concensus. I ordered a veggie burrito and just about passed out laughing when the food came. I could barely lift the damn thing. It must have weighed at least 7lbs! I mean I'm not a preemie baby but I weighed in at a little over 5lbs! This burrito was ridiculously big!

Baby-Gami

Burrito-Gami ... LOL!

I'm no expert in camping but Clear Lake Campgrounds was below average. We made the best out of it but I think it's safe to say that I won't go back.

Complete pics here:

http://share.shutterfly.com/share/received/welcome.sfly?fid=07c751c247671e2a&sid=0MaMmTZy3YsqW

Tirelessly,

Jakey

A Day for Triskaidekaphobia

My nerdiness on display -

Do you avoid walking under ladders? Do you carry a rabbit’s foot on your key chain? If you see a black cat in your path, do you cross the street? While these are common superstitions, today may bring a more specific source of anxiety: triskaidekaphobia—or more simply stated—fear of Friday the 13th.

Lucky for you, it’s occurring only once this year.

Some numbers just can’t catch a break

Before it was ever made into a movie, people have been nervous of Friday the 13th for decades. According to folklorists, the superstition is likely associated with the unlucky number 13.

Historians have traced the number back to the 13 individuals who attended the Last Supper (with Judas being the 13th guest). Going back even further to 1700 B.C., Babylon’s Code of Hammurabi omits the number 13 in its list of laws. The superstition continues today: Many tall buildings still don’t have a 13th floor.

However, the number didn’t become popularly associated with Friday until the 20th century. In 1907, eccentric stockbroker Thomas Lawson published Friday the Thirteenth, a novel that details an evil businessman’s attempt to manipulate the stock market using the superstitious day. Thanks to an aggressive advertising campaign, the book sold nearly 28,000 copies in its first week.

Thank goodness it’s Friday

There is no consensus on whether or not bad things are more likely to happen on this day. In a 2008 report, the Dutch Centre for Insurance Statistics stated that "fewer accidents and reports of fire and theft occur when the 13th of the month falls on a Friday than on other Fridays, because people are preventatively more careful or just stay home.”

However, a 1993 study in the British Medical Journal compared the ratio of traffic accidents between Friday the 6th and Friday the 13th and found a significant increase in traffic-related accidents on the 13th.

Regardless of superstitious fears, you may want to focus on this simple fact: it is finally the weekend. Go out and enjoy yourself. But if you happen to run into a machete-wielding maniac wearing a hockey mask, just walk the other way. Seriously.

Happy Camper,
Jakey

The Cycle of Life

Last Sunday, I went on my first bike ride in the city. Big deal! People go on bike rides everyday. For most SF residents, it is their only way of transportation. But you see, I have not been on a bicycle in years!

The adventure started at Golden Gate Park. I rented a bike for the afternoon. My friend is an avid bike rider and thought it would be a great idea to ride through the park then Great Highway and eventually end up at SF Zoo.

It sounded like a great idea at the time. What a fun way to spend my Sunday. So different from my usual walk or hike so I thought, why not. Let's shake things up a bit.

Let's set the mood...

I woke up that morning and my place was still dark. The outside light was barely breaking through the curtain. I was proud of myself that I woke up early for I was anticipating the day ahead. I stretched out to reach for my cell phone to check the time only to be surprised that it was in fact closer to 10:00 am. Alright, I thought, it's going to be one of those SF summer day where the fog doesn't burn off until later in the afternoon. When I finally got ready and headed out the door, it was a little bit past noon. We had a leisurely breakfast at a cafe nearby and went off on our way.

I finally got on my bike and started pedaling at half past two. The sun was still behind a thick layer of cloud and it was fairly cold. No matter I thought, I would get warm once I start pedaling and get my heart rate going. The first 10 minutes was nerve wracking. I was wobbly, nervous, awkward and giddy all at the same time. I was also trying to figure out the whole shifting gear thing. It was so confusing!

When I first learned how to ride a bike back in the Philippines, there was no such thing as brakes let alone shift gears. There was one speed; fast! Brakes? If your lucky you could stop using the soles of your feet much like the Flinstones :D The unfortunates ones though like myself would fall to stop. It was only a matter of which part of my body would break my fall. No parts were spared. My arms, wrists, knees, chin and elbows have all had their share of scrapes, cuts, open wounds and bruises. I have visible scars to this day. Despite all that, I have never broken anything. That's a miracle in itself! So you can just imagine my relief when I found out that parts of the park were closed off from cars on Sunday's. It at least gave me a few minutes to acclimate myself to bike riding once again.

We weaved through the park and stopped for some photo opps. It was fun. I saw parts of the park that I've been wanting to see but never really had the chance. We reached the outskirts of Golden Gate park and was now on Great Highway.

Tulip Garden

The weather was not cooperating with the mood I was in. The fog was thick and now being really closed to the water there were no trees to block the wind, it was also cold and misty. I pedaled my way up Great Highway and had to stop every so often to wipe my glasses because it was dripping wet from the mist. My dress was wet and I was getting tired. I finally got the hang of shifting the gears to make it easier for me to pedal up the little hills. We finally reached our first destination, SF Zoo.

Tea Time (Java Beach Cafe)

Because we had a late start, we didn't get to the zoo until closer to 3:30 and it closes at 5:00pm so we decided to skip the zoo and join the rest of the group at Stern Grove to watch the SF Ballet. This was the part that totally wiped me out. The way to Stern Grove was a steady incline up. So hard! My legs were like Jello - not when it's jiggly and ready to eat, more like the liquid state of it :)

We finally reached Stern Grove and I just about passed out on Azmeera's lap. I caught the last 15 minutes of the performance

Wiped out

I like analogies and I can say that my bike ride was sort of like life in general. There were times that I pedaled my heart out without the use of the gears. It was hard but worth it in the end and then there were times when I used the gears to help me up the hill. I liken the shift gears to my friends and family. Most of the time I go through life's struggles on my own but more often than not, I rely on my friends and family to give me a hand. To offer words of comfort, a hug or just a swift kick in the butt to get me going again.

I'm celebrating life, I'm having fun, I'm connecting, I'm loving, I'm Yours -

Dinner at Tsunami

Afternoon with the girls - Ferry Park

Vannessa's Birthday - The Ambassador

Be Young. Be Silly. Be Happy. Be.

P.S. I'm going camping again...yeah!

Crickety Crack says My Back

A couple of months ago, I met a girl during one of Azmeera's game night. She is currently going to school to become a chiropractor. We talked about the accelerated program she's in and other health and wellness topics. She mentioned that even though I don't feel any symptoms, I should definitely visit a chiropractor just to get looked at and get adjusted. I agreed and filed it under "Things to do before I die" list.

Two weeks ago, my vertigo started acting up. It's a pre-existing condition that I've had for many years. It basically causes me to feel dizzy which eventually leads to migraine. Yuck!

(http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/vertigo)

I have a medication that I normally take for vertigo but being the obstinate creature that I am, figured that it will go away eventually. Unfortunately, it never did. In fact it was getting worse. When it first started acting up, I would only feel it a few minutes at a time. Then as the days progressed, I was feeling dizzy throughout the day.

So last Friday, I made the appointment with a chiropractor and by Monday, I had my first session. The clinic is a 5 minute walk from my place on a bad commute day :)

I got there a few minutes early and filled out the mandatory new patient form. He had Bossa-Nova music playing in the background - Cool. We went over billing and insurance blah-blah for a few minutes.

Then the barage of questions began. My medical history, any symptoms and basically the reason why I was there. I briefly explained my vertigo as he took notes. Then he started doing some tests such as moving my neck from left to right, pressing on some points down my back and the most interesting test he did was to figure out if I'm 'even'.

As it turns out I am 'left short'. What?! Great, this whole time I thought I was only short. Now I find that I am also 'left short'. It means that my left leg is shorter than my right but not because I'm a freak of nature. It is only because my hips are way off line. I have danced pretty much all my life and done Polynesian for many years. I think that's definitely the reason why my hips are off.

Then the adjustments began....Holy Heck! I have never heard bones crack like mine did. It's like someone stepped on a hundred broken bottles. The sound was loud which consisted of crunching and cracking noises. I can't even begin to explain the sound it made as he worked his way up my back. He started with my hips as he worked on it to make sure that I walked out of there even. It took about 5 tries of cracking and popping until he was satisfied and my hips finally cooperated. Damn hips!

Then he worked on my right shoulder blade. He had me breathe in and breathe out as he adjusted. HOLY MOTHER OF GOD!!!! The cracking sound my shoulder made...aaaahhhh! Then repeat on the other side. He continued to work on different parts of my back for a few more minutes which felt like an eternity to me. I really wished that he had some New Age crap music playing right about then to at least mask the sounds of the bones cracking. I think he must also be psychic because in between the adjustment he told me to sing a song in my head. So I hummed the first song that came to me "Happy Birthday To You".... LOL!

After a lifetime aka a few minutes, he had me turn around and face up. Already, I could feel the tension released from my lower back which I didn't even know I had! Then he worked on my neck...SNAP, CRACKLE and POP! The last adjustment he did was me lying on my side as if in a fetal position and more bone cracking.

Alas, we were done. I laid there for a couple more minutes focusing on my breathing and making sure that he didn't actually break anything! I remembered feeling so light and so relaxed. All I could say at that point was, WOW! I can't believe what I've been missing! My whole body felt so good. I finally got up and walked around a little bit. First thing I noticed was that my vertigo was gone. I did not feel any dizziness when I got up nor when I was walking around. Amazing what a little tweaking can do.

On Tuesday, I almost called in sick. My body felt so sore! I just wanted to stay in bed. I got home that evening and slept for 12 hours.

Today, I came back for more. It's appointment 2 of 6. He did the same adjustments. It didn't hurt as bad though and the relief afterwards is SO worth it. He focused more on the muscles in my shoulder which turned out to be the most symptomatic. I can't even imagine how sore I'll be tomorrow.

Despite me being a baby about it I think it's definitely worth it. It only takes a few session to get your body 'in-line'. Take care, be well, be good to yourself so that you can be healthy and available to those you love.

Today, my brain is raining neurohormones, oxytocin and prolactin on its own and life is in a constant blissful state.

Save Energy ... Sleep,

Jakey

Linger

I hear the sound of your voice

Your breath on my neck

Your lips grazes mine

Enveloped in your embrace

Our fingers entwined

Our body, one

Lost in the fabric of our love

I swear you whispered 'Wait for me'

Dawn breaks

the dream is over...

I miss you