I have a Black Belt...

IN...

Hee... hee... (*^_^*)

I finished the project I've been working on for the last 2 weeks. A special someone recently celebrated his birthday and I made him a picture puzzle consisting of photos from his childhood all the way to now.

My initial idea was to have his friends e-mail me with b-day wishes and I would somehow figure out how to present it to him. His sister then offered to send me pictures and that's when the seed of idea started to take a life of it's own.

I toyed with a couple of different concepts - first was to make little flags with the wishes printed on it and stick each flag on the cupcakes I had ordered. Second was to create a picture mosaic but the individual pictures were too small to print the wishes on. I finally settled with the idea of creating a picture puzzle big enough to hold the wishes and also make a nice keepsake.

So the e-mail party commenced, wishes and pictures started pouring in and I found myself immersed in planning and execution and enjoyed every minute of it.

2 days before - cutting each piece with x-acto knife ... OMG!, my arm was so sore the next day, thankfully my cute and totally gay chiropractor did some muscle manipulation on my left arm and made it all better...yeay! Fedex/Kinkos did a great job of bringing my concept to life. The finished product was printed on a foam board and laminated. I was quite pleased with the outcome.

5 down and 30 more pieces to go... each puzzle piece took an average of 8-10 mins to cut -

Night before - using sandpaper to smooth out the edges of each puzzle piece

Day of ... with 1 hour to go, a shower to take, a dress to steam, a hair to fix and a dinner to get to...aaaahhh!

Whew! barely made it -

This was definitely the funnest project I've worked on to date. It was a little bit harder than I thought in terms of the initial lay out, cutting the individual puzzle pieces, smoothing it down so that each piece would fit and finishing it on time. It was well worth it in the end - to see the joy in his face was priceless.

I love birthdays - I love celebrating it, I love making the celebrant feel special and I especially love reminding them that their birthday is a gift in itself and it is something to be commemorated.

His puzzle represents moments in his life and how it is all interconnected. Each picture tells a story and the wishes from his friends and family are the glue that will keep the memories complete.

When you reflect on your life and the moments captured on the view finder, what would your picture puzzle look like? How will the pictures connect with each other? What stories will the picture tell? The relationship of our lives whether platonic or romantic consists of conversations and interactions all connected. Make sure that all your pieces are intact. Avoid missing a piece. Be Whole. Be Happy. Be Love.

My picture puzzle will be made up of places I've traveled, my sisters and I in tight hugs, me giving my mom kisses, a montage of my favorite things, Tugboat, my girlfriends in our drunken antics, my special someone and all the amazing people I've met along the way who has helped made me the person I am today. My picture puzzle will be shaped like a heart for it will embody everything that I LOVE.

Special Thank You to Chao for helping me bring this project to life. Your Kung Fu is strong, My Friend (^_^)

The rest of my week focused on getting back in touch with myself to get re-inspired for my next project. Christmas is right around the corner and I have some really fun crafts in the works - more of this later...

Thursday - Picnic at Stinson Beach

Friday at Smuggler's Cove

Saturday - Brian's 31st Birthday at Pier23

Sunday afternoon stroll at Land's End

This is how I stay connected - The music for my soul, the sunglasses for my bright future, the pen for the script and my phone ... to stay connected with the rest of the world outside of my head.

Love Y'all to Puzzle Pieces,

Jakey

Going the Distant

The City is busting at the seams today. As I look down Market street from the 12th floor of my office building, the sidewalks are filled with people walking loud and proud with their Giants gears, making their way to the parade. The office is buzzing with glee as they celebrate the results of the election. We have a new Governor, the same Senator and a new Speaker of the House.

Contemplatively I sit. The amount of work event planning ahead is almost daunting as I sift through pages of events catering-kits from several different venues. Trying to figure out what my colleagues truly want versus a projection of my own preferences. After all, I am just the planner and the party is for everyone else.

With the Holiday just being right around the corner, I am bombarded with e-mails for coordinating fundraising events, chairing other initiatives and also putting together my own choice of charity to donate.

On the homefront, I am occupied with a personal project that is very near and dear to my heart - more on this later...

With everything that is happening around me, I cannot help but feel distant - rather I want to go the distance... to sit, breathe, get drunk inhaling the wonderful smell of Mother Nature and to get clearing...

Clearing - to release whatever's keeping me distant, distracted or wanting to be elsewhere other than this present moment.

I need to step back into gratitude and remind myself that joy and happiness is always available (it just may take some attention-shifting!)

I acknowledge you for being an amazing listener and responder. You hear so much everyday yet you only choose to hear and repeat the positive, love-filled stuff. Thank you for YOU!

For now I sit and pine...



Jakey

A Breath of Fresh Sunday

What a wonderful weekend full of hugs, smiles, winks, deelish food and fantastic weather.

Friday was our Halloween party at work and one of my colleague does face painting as a hobby. She was nice enough to do it for the group and in exchange, I walked around the building and asked for donations on behalf of her fundraising event. I walked around with a Breast Cancer Awareness tin can and asked for spare change. My line was "Can you spare some change to save the Boobies, Ta-tas or The Girls?" It was a hit. It made people laugh and kept the mood light since Breast Cancer is such a serious matter.

My new position at work keeps me quite busy with all the events that I have to plan... throw... repeat. And I'm having such a great time! The next couple of months is going to be really busy and I embrace the challenge.

Later in the evening, I went to a dinner party and had the loveliest time - met new people, played footsie, ate and drank to my heart's content. I'm still dreaming about the acorn pumpkin I had and how delicious it was! I wish I had brought my camera with me and took pictures :(

The couple I met could not be more perfect for each other. I enjoy meeting newlyweds and listen to their stories of how they came to be. Their story is that of love withstanding the test of time. They met years ago, timing was not right, distance was too much so things didn't work out. Fast forward to 7 years later at a mutual friends party, they reconnected and got married a few months later. He said that after meeting his now wife, she became the girl that he held every other girl up against all those years they weren't together. She became his muse. Isn't that sweet?

Face Painting at work

The gang celebrated Halloween on Saturday. We pre-partied at Zai's place - ate, drank, danced, laughed and enjoyed each other's company. Later in the evening we went to a house party in Noe Valley and continued the festivity. I was pleasantly surprise by how much fun we had given the experience of the last house party we went to. The music was awesome, the beer machine was neat and the photo booth was uber fun!

Pre-party at Zai's place

I love my girls!

Oh Snap!

Stopped at Beretta for a drink and to steal a kiss from him

Super fun house party

Complete pics here:

share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0MaMmTZy3Ys0q

Today, I woke up with an eager desire to go out and be one with nature. So I packed the camel back and went on a mini hike with Zairina. It was a beautiful day in the City. The Sun was out, the clouds were puffy and my mood light.

This evening, I spent a quite night of reading candidate profiles, researching and educating myself with all the different propositions that are on the ballot come November 2nd.

Tuesday is Election Day. How would you vote?

Knowledge is Power:

http://lwvc.convio.net/site/PageServer?pagename=easyvoter_home

http://www.smartvoter.org/2010/11/02/ca/state/prop/

Be Counted. Be Heard. Live by choice - not by chance.

Jakey

Fever Pitch

I am SOOO going to scorch in hell for this, but its all for good fun (^_^)

In the spirit of World Series Fever

Our Father, who art in San Francisco, Baseball be thy name. Thy Series won. Thy will be done. On the field, as it is in the bullpen. Give us this day our bat and glove, and forgive us our errors, as we forgive those that doubt us. And lead us not into defeat, but deliver us a ring. In the name of the fans and the Giants.

Amen.

Clockwatching,
Jakey

Hallowing the Gourd

Gather rounds kids... It's Story Time...

An old Irish folk tale tells of Stingy Jack, a lazy yet shrewd farmer who uses a cross to trap the Devil. The myth says that Jack was getting chased by some villagers from whom he had stolen, when he met the Devil, who claimed it was time for him to die. However, the thief stalled his death by tempting the Devil with a chance to bedevil the church-going villagers chasing him. Jack told the Devil to turn into a coin with which he would pay for the stolen goods (the Devil could take on any shape he wanted); later, when the coin/Devil disappeared, the Christian villagers would fight over who had stolen it. The Devil agreed to this plan. He turned himself into a silver coin and jumped into Jack's wallet, only to find himself next to a cross Jack had also picked up in the village. Jack had closed the wallet tight, and the cross stripped the Devil of his powers; and so he was trapped.

Jack only lets the Devil go when he agrees never to take his soul. After a while the thief died, as all living things do. Of course, his life had been too sinful for Jack to go to heaven; however, the Devil had promised not to take his soul, and so he was barred from hell as well. Jack now had nowhere to go. He asked how he would see where to go, as he had no light, and the Devil mockingly tossed him an ember that would never burn out from the flames of hell. Jack carved out one of his turnips (which was his favourite food), put the ember inside it, and began endlessly wandering the Earth for a resting place. He became known as "Jack of the Lantern", or Jack-o'-Lantern.

Now You and I can honestly say that "We know Jack!"

The girls and I had a pumpkin carving party last Thursday. Fun of course was the number one agenda and we successfully accomplished it. The albino looking pumpkin that I bought from Trader Joe's was a challenge to carve. It was thicker than the regular pumpkins so it took twice as long just to get the top removed. I couldn't finish in time before I had to meet with a hottie for a night cap. So my half carved pumpkin is currently sitting in my refrigerator waiting for me to finish.

Complete pics here:

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0MaMmTZy3Ysz2

Friday night, the gang went to a Halloween House Party. It's been a really looooong time since I've been to a house party that felt more like a Frat party. Good Gawd, bring on the college kids! It was fun for about 15mins and then the novelty quickly wore off and it plateaued from there.

Larry was dressed as a Flying Monkey, Zairina was a lingerie model and I was Hippie-McHipster.

The most fun I had was when I discovered the word magnets on the kitchen refrigerator

May's

Me

Make it a Great Week Bloggies!

Yours always,

Jakey

...On Dating

It is wrong to think that love comes from long companionship and persevering courtship. Love is the offspring of spiritual affinity and unless that affinity is created in a moment, it will not be created for years or even generations ~ Khalil Gibran

I cannot help but disagree with this quote but the more I sit with it, I find that the notion is growing on me. I have had the opportunity to exchange winks and share smiles with a certain someone of late. Throw in friends, family and job into the mix, then we are left with just that - moments.

Yet, a bigger part of me still believes in the security that companionship offers. It has been a while since I've felt the comfort of being in a steady and committed relationship. The kind where you can breathe out a sigh of relief because no matter how bad of a day you're having, he will be there by your side. Long after the courtship is said and done, you can both relax and know that you are loved. When you can rest assure that the other shoe will not drop. When you can call him any time of the day to say hello and see how their day is going. It's all the little things that a relationship offers.

Even with the last relationship I had, we never really reached that point of comfort. We were still guarded and the calls were limited to emergencies or finalizing weekend plans. I miss dialing for no reason at all but to hear his voice smiling on the other line. I miss not having to face my fear even if its only a figment. I miss sharing the day to day nuances of life and to go home to a warm embrace. I miss the lazy Sunday afternoons of holding each other and falling asleep.

Yes bloggies, the whole dating scene is wearing on me. I have met some out of this world D-bags. Someday, I will write about it. I'll share my dating stories and the liars that I've come across which is downright hilarious in retrospect.

Despite it all, God, Universe, Venus, Gravity have always responded in kind and kept me out of trouble. Characters revealed themselves, secrets unveiled, intentions were known while I safely held on to my heart. I put myself out there, therefore I have to be prepared for the risk of getting my heart broken. I used to be bolder in my risk taking. These days, my heart is just a little bit farther up my sleeve.

And yet all is fine, not Final.

Someday, the dating game will transform to the kind of game that doesn't require an overnight bag or sleepover. Replaced with personal comfort in being home and enjoying in-person the relationship I have with a special man.

For now, I rest my case.

He rests his.

May the rest of your week be full of Best Days Ever,

Jakey

Where's Me Lucky Charm?

So much but yet so little has happened since I last posted. In a few weeks time I have become a proud mom of a 5lbs, healthy and quite possibly the most adorable puppy this side of San Francisco (^_^)

Bloggies meet Tugboat:

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0MaMmTZy3Ysw6

My first car ride home

On my way to see my brothers and sisters for a play date

Lunch dates with mommy

So cute!

The first trick I learned

My Saturday night date

He has been keeping me quite busy on the home front. From feeding, to training, playing and constant monitoring, I find myself occupied all the time. This is the first time I have been able to sit down and filter through the events of the past few weeks and share how awesome it has been. It's not without its sad parts but still good overall.

Tugboat is a CHUGG - a Pugg and a Chihuahua mix. I got him from my sister who breeds dogs but only for friends and family members to keep. I've had him for about a month now and I can honestly say that it has been the best Month since I moved to the city. Its SOOO nice to come home to a puppy, eagerly waiting for me to love on him. I look forward to coming home and staying in. I am absolutely crazy about him! He is definitely slowly but surely changing my lifestyle from the "go-go-go, no time to lose, gotta see, gotta be" to "sit, breathe, relax, chill with me for a bit, hug me a little tighter, play with me a little longer, give me more kisses and most importantly, stay home with me". I conceded.

So here I am on a Saturday night when most of the single, women my age are out and about searching for their Mr. Right or Right Now, I am home with my Lil' Stud Muffin.

October has also been a busy month full of birthdays. For Zairina's birthday, the girls and I took the partying up a notch and hit up Sin City to celebrate. I welcomed the mini vacay I had with the girls but it was also bitter sweet because it's my first time away from Tugboat. Fortunately, I have a friend who watched him for me and did not mind my constant call of checking in.

We stayed at the Jockey Club which is literally right next to the Bellagio. We rented a condo and it was great. The place was fully furnished including the kitchen. I found myself making breakfast one morning and dinner another night. I have taken up cooking again. I haven't done so for a while there but am now finding joy in it again. I'm still a bit rusty but I'm working on it. I've been experimenting with new recipes and just simply having fun in the process.

One of my favorite places to go is Old Town Las Vegas. It's a complete departure from the glitz and glamour that the Strip has to offer. Old Town Vegas is so low-key, quirkier and just all around fun. No need to dress up to the nines, the drinks are cheaper and just more laid back.

LAX at the Luxor

But just like anything, after 3 days of non-stop drinking and partying, I was ready to come home to my love.

Last weekend was Fleet Week in the City and I had the greatest time volunteering for the SF Senior Center. Our booth sold beer and wine. SO, SO Fun!!! My shift started at 10:00am and I was tipsy by 11:00 :) The event coordinator for our booth allowed us to drink while working. WHAT!!! Of course, I took the liberty of pouring myself a pint of Amber. It was a hot day and the ice cold beer fit the bill. Two and a half pints later with a jar full of tips, my shift ended and joined the rest of the group to watch the airshow. A very special thank you to the "Cuteness" next to me in the group picture that reserved the spot for the rest of us to enjoy the show, front and center. I'm sending out my attitude of gratitude to the universe and hope he gets it.

The gang watched the Blue Angels take over the SF sky with their impressive aerobatic routine of fighter plane loop de loops.

Complete pics here:

share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0MaMmTZy3Ysyy

See if you can spot the missing item in this picture!

If you guessed my head, score 10 points.
If you guessed the city streets with logical traffic flow, score 20.
If you guessed no clouds, score 30 and add a bonus 10 for being in tune with nature.
If you guessed a bicycle named Aubergine who provided hours of fun for me, please return her.

She was stolen in broad daylight right outside my apartment building. I left her locked outside because I had to go to the bathroom really bad after consuming 4 pints of beer! It was a sad day and I didn't tell anyone about it except for one person. I refused to talk about it until now. I always joked about not having nice things in the city and sure enough the joke is on me. I left her no longer than 20 minutes and when I came back out to put her away, she was gone...

I carried on with my evening and met up with some friends for dinner. I ate, drank and socialized to the best of my ability while my heart ached.

I make up that she is now with a new owner who is in desperate need of alternative transportation in the city. I make up that she is being treated well and wiped down after every ride, just like I did. I make up that the person who took her felt really about what they did.

The things we own ends up owning us and so I bid you Adieu, Aubergine.

October is in effect and it smells wonderful. I am reminded of Evel Knievel, for he too probably lost a bike or two over the years (^_^)

Not to be a total Captain Downer, here's something to think about...

Life is Good no matter which way you look at it. You’re always giving or receiving love. It’s your attention and gratitude – actually acknowledging love - that allows you to “in joy” it.

Love is always there. Sometimes it just takes our attention being shifted back to it to truly feel it.

In Joy, In Love, In Spirit,

Jakey