Hello XXXXX,
As you move towards the review of my claim before making your settlement offer, I'd like to tell you a few details in the hope that you will be taking this into consideration.
While we determined earlier this month that I was returned to pre injury status, I have to say, that while I am ready to settle, that is in no way true. My pre-injury status was that of a strong, fast cyclist. A cyclist for whom a 60 mile ride was an easy afternoon spin. A cyclist whose 2005 event completion included two double centuries (200 miles in a day) and ten centuries (100 miles in a day). In addition, I went on a four day, five hundred mile cycling vacation in 2005. I had planned to race in the 2006 cycling season.
All of that changed on April 5, 2006 when XXXXX XXXXXX struck my car during rush hour traffic on the 580 freeway. When Mr. XXXXX slammed into me from the side, it impacted both my neck and low back. My head snapped to the side. My pelvis was also thrown to one side. I experienced shooting pains up my spine and went to the Emergency Room at Kaiser after the accident.
While Allstate might claim I suffered "only soft tissue injuries", it was to the extent that I spent several months in pain, requiring medications such as muscle relaxants to cope with the spasms and prescription strength ibuprofin and vicodin to manage the pain. As late as November, I was still requiring muscle relaxants. I am not someone who like to ingest medications of any kind.
I lost my entire 2006 cycling year from that point on. What was my biggest passion and brought me so much joy now brought me to tears, from both pain and frustration. I could no longer ride with my friends, so my social life suffered. I could no longer get the exercise I was used to, so my overall health and mental health suffered. Ask any athlete who cannot exercise at their level and they will tell you it takes quite a toll on you mentally. I couldn't race. I could barely ride. The seven day 600 mile cycling vacation I had hope to go on with my friends, instead I spent trying to recover from these injuries. I missed the 2006 Death Ride, for which I'd already paid $89 and made the lottery cut to get in.
A few weeks after the accident, I had to buy a new bed. I had been borrowing a bed from a friend, and suddenly even sleeping caused me pain. For months, sleeping in a bed that wasn't mine caused me pain and stiffness. This wasn't how I've ever lived. I continued to have disruptions in my sleep due to pain well into early December.
I've begun riding again, starting small and trying to rebuild my cycling endurance level. Yesterday I was in tears on a ride. I was riding alone, because all my elite athlete friends have pronounced me too slow to ride with. I was going up a hill and I was feeling sore in my low back, specifically the quadratus lumborum. Before the accident, I was a very strong hill climber, nicknamed the "Ponytail Express". Here I was going up a hill at 3.5 mph. This was a hill I had easily taken at 12 mph before the accident. While I was grateful to be alive and on my bike, this was not my pre-injury status.
It occurred to me then that the 2007 cycling season will essentially be lost, too. It will not be about riding with my friends, it will be about rehabbing alone and gradually working to build my strength to get back to where I was before Mr. XXXXXX was reckless enough to hit me while uninsured.
I was invited to be a cycling mentor for the 2007 Team in Training group for this year's Death Ride. As much as I would have loved to support a team raising funds for leukemia (as I did in 2005), I knew I was not strong enough to be a cycling mentor. It was with great sadness that I declined. There's no way I'll be able to ride the Death Ride in 2007.
In addition to the loss of my greatest joy in life, there have been other repercussions from the accident. I experience stress and anxiety now when driving on the freeway. I am particularly stressed and anxious when I am a passenger in a car. My boyfriend has had to endure my panicky outbursts when he's safely driving for months now. This still continues.
While I am not claiming a loss due to work pay, I did suffer a loss. All these medical appointments caused me to miss work. As an freelance photo producer, I work on-site in ad agencies on an hourly pay basis. I am not contracted for a specific amount of money, but rather to produce a job. I did lose hours of work. But I know this is hard to track given the uniqueness of my employment, which is why I am not seeking lost wages. I was very fortunate enough to be working at a company who my boss was a work friend and she understood what I was going through and was gracious about my missing hours in the office.
I have spent over $7000 in medical treatments and expenses. I was reimbursed for the first two thousand. I am sure you can understand the loss of five thousand dollars from one's bank account being a hardship. Even though I am considered returned to pre-injury status, I am truly not there yet, if you take into account that I was an elite athlete. This year will involve added expenses of working with a coach and a trainer to try to regain my athletic abilities to where they were before the accident. While I understand Allstate won't be paying for this, I would like it if this were considered just for a moment in the claim. It's not going to be an easy year to truly return to pre-injury status.
Can you imagine how you would feel if the activity outside of work that brought you the most joy was suddenly taken away from you and only caused pain? I understand it is your job to bring a claim to closure quickly and for the lowest amount possible. So while you do your job, please consider the human element of what the past eight months have held for me.
I may be able to live life like a normal sedentary person, but I am not anywhere near the level of my pre-injury fitness, mobility, and capacity as an athlete.
For years I have had Allstate Insurance, all the while believing the marketing slogan, "Allstate. You're in good hands." Am I in good hands? I would like to believe that Allstate will settle in good faith and offer a fair and reasonable settlement.
I look forward to hearing from you next week.
Jen
January 31, 2007
January 23, 2007
Happy Crasher
Happy Crasher
Originally uploaded by jenworth.
I love snowboarding!
Just spent the weekend up at Kirkwood. No new snow, but it was still fun. Saturday I had a really good day. No falls. Didn't even wipe out getting off the lift. It felt really good.
Sunday morning we woke up to howling winds. We suspected the mountain might be closed, and we weren't wrong. Three lifts were open, mostly really easy stuff. So after dawdling, we went out for a couple hours. I don't know what changed from the day before, but I was a mess. Thankfully it was a brief day! I lacked confidence, which kept me from catching my heel edge easily. I don't know what was up. It got a tiny bit better, but riding wasn't fluid like it was on Saturday. We rode until the end of the day, and then made a really yummy dinner of roasted stuffed squash.
We were lucky to have stayed right on the mountain (luck costs bucks, in this case) and we rode again on Monday. Once again, it felt great. I really enjoyed the bluebird day. Not crowded or cold. Just a really fun day, even if I did crash more than Saturday.
Snowboarding is F U N ! ! !
January 16, 2007
Back in the Saddle
I'm back!
Two weeks ago, my chiropractor and I proclaimed me restored to "pre-injury status". This means I am finally done treating from the car accident I was in back in April 2006. I walked away from that accident, but the accident changed the rest of 2006. I could no longer do what I loved and with the people I call my friends.
Cycling sends me over the moon. I can't express how it scrubs clear the cobwebs in my brain.
But all of December I'd been hemming and hawing about getting back on the bike, even though I wasn't working. I was telling myself, "It's no fun to ride alone".
Bullshit!
Yesterday, one of my favorite people gave me back cycling. Marty said, "wanna ride soon?" in an email. We were out there yesterday afternoon, in the freezing cold at 4pm for a quick spin. I've certainly lost some power and strength, but not the joy of being on the bike. That is, so long as I lose the ego, and not think of what level of riding I was at during the 2005 season.
It wasn't an earth shattering ride; it was only an hour long. But it showed me that my legs were still strong, just not what they were. Thanks to the performance indoor cycling program (we can't call ourselves Spin, because we don't license from Johnny G) at Berkeley Ironworks, I've been able to maintain cardio and some strength.
So today, I went riding again. Alone. Riding alone is fun, because cycling is fun. It was freezing out, and I had to go to REI to get a skull cap and a proper cycling windbreaker. (Thankful once again, I am an employee of the REI Outdoor School and entitled to that employee discount!)
Another "quick ride". See, for me, anything less than 30 miles was not worth breaking out the bike. I have to lose that thinking, and appreciate the sheer joy of being in the saddle. Climbing hills on a bike has always been a favorite part of cycling, and I still love it.
So, while I get back into cycling shape and my 2007 cycling season evolves, I'll try to keep cycling related blather over here . It could get tedious, I'll warn you. I may use that blog to document my training progress in only a way I care to follow. Who knows. Who knows what this season will bring. But it's nice to be back.
Two weeks ago, my chiropractor and I proclaimed me restored to "pre-injury status". This means I am finally done treating from the car accident I was in back in April 2006. I walked away from that accident, but the accident changed the rest of 2006. I could no longer do what I loved and with the people I call my friends.
Cycling sends me over the moon. I can't express how it scrubs clear the cobwebs in my brain.
But all of December I'd been hemming and hawing about getting back on the bike, even though I wasn't working. I was telling myself, "It's no fun to ride alone".
Bullshit!
Yesterday, one of my favorite people gave me back cycling. Marty said, "wanna ride soon?" in an email. We were out there yesterday afternoon, in the freezing cold at 4pm for a quick spin. I've certainly lost some power and strength, but not the joy of being on the bike. That is, so long as I lose the ego, and not think of what level of riding I was at during the 2005 season.
It wasn't an earth shattering ride; it was only an hour long. But it showed me that my legs were still strong, just not what they were. Thanks to the performance indoor cycling program (we can't call ourselves Spin, because we don't license from Johnny G) at Berkeley Ironworks, I've been able to maintain cardio and some strength.
So today, I went riding again. Alone. Riding alone is fun, because cycling is fun. It was freezing out, and I had to go to REI to get a skull cap and a proper cycling windbreaker. (Thankful once again, I am an employee of the REI Outdoor School and entitled to that employee discount!)
Another "quick ride". See, for me, anything less than 30 miles was not worth breaking out the bike. I have to lose that thinking, and appreciate the sheer joy of being in the saddle. Climbing hills on a bike has always been a favorite part of cycling, and I still love it.
So, while I get back into cycling shape and my 2007 cycling season evolves, I'll try to keep cycling related blather over here . It could get tedious, I'll warn you. I may use that blog to document my training progress in only a way I care to follow. Who knows. Who knows what this season will bring. But it's nice to be back.
January 12, 2007
La di da.
Total Cuteness
Originally uploaded by jenworth.
I have not worked since Thanksgiving.
Clearly, I need to get out more, because I am talking to the cats.
That is all.
January 7, 2007
Another cat. What the hell?
Another cat. What the hell?
Originally uploaded by jenworth.
I'm starting to scare even myself. Am I destined to be a crazy cat lady? I swear I won't get one of those funky smelling apartments where it's obvious that there are cats due to catstench.
suggested names for this little guy are welcomed!
his foster mom named him picasso. no way.
he looks like ink was thrown on him; you have to see his crazy markings.
named bandied about:
splat: looks like he was splattered with ink
jack: he looks like a jackson pollock painting
he's so contrasty compared to the creamy orange Hippo.
January 4, 2007
Shallow Me
Apparently, I am shallow. And I like it.
I am a magazine junkie. I'll read nearly any magazine, and usually even have a subscription to a handful of different magazines. If P didn't mock Oprah as hard as he does, I'll probably even have a sub to "O", even though she's such an egomanic that she's on the cover every month.
Anyway.
Have you ever given magazines' purpose any thought? I mean, besides to sell ads, although this fits in nicely with my theory. Magazines exist to tell you about your imperfections. How to camoflage those 10 pounds. How to be more thoughtful. Stronger. Better looking, through make-up and fashion, of course. How to get rid of the gut, have a nicer house, get a better car, trick out your motorcycle, and overall, how to overhaul your sad-sack of a life. And if you want to avoid recognizing your pathetic life, you can drown yourself in celebrity tabloids. Now, those people are fucked. Even if they are rich!
Oh, and those ads? They're there to help you understand which products you'll need for your self-improvement project.
So magazines are essentially there to point out our flaws (and improve them) and to sell products.
Why do I love magazines so? A lot of them are ALL ads (hello, Vogue!). A lot have bad photography. But they're like little snippets into a culture. They're aspirational (hello, marketing buzzword!). They are a timesuck. Okay, there's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.
Plus they are a waste of paper. Few use eco-friendly inks. I gotta get over this magazine thing.
Also, I heard on the radio yesterday an interview with some gal who wrote a book about current trends. Can't recall the title, only that she works at J Walter Thompson. She was speaking about how we're all feeling an emotional void which is why we try to fill it up with products.
But it was her comments about the superficiality of our relationships that stuck with me. She said we'd rather have 14 "lite" friends of a superficial nature with whom we can have small talk. Those people make us feel good and we can interact with them in brief spurts. She claims we, as a society, prefer that to having a small group of truly deep friendships, the kind of friends we can spend two hours talking to. She asserts it's because we don't have or make time, so we squeeze our friendships in wherever we have a moment in the cracks of our lives.
She may be right. I notice this myself. I have many "friends". How many of these "friends" do I get together with on a regular basis and gift them with my time and attention. Very few, but they're also not seeking it out because we all have busy lives and they, too, seemingly prefer the kind of quick interactions that friendship seems to be about these days. I have few friends that I get together with or have long, meaningful conversations. I cherish each of these people and times we get together. But there are people with whom I'd like to spend more time....I just don't "have" the time. That's bullshit, though.
One revelation I had years ago was this: for those who don't have enough time, they need to remember it's about choices. We all have the same 24 hours in a day. No one gets any more or any less. We all choose how we spend those 24 hours. So when you don't "have" time to spend with friends, or to go to the gym or whatever, it's because it's not a priority enough to make time for it.
Which leads me back to feeling shallow and selfish because there are people I truly want to connect with and somehow haven't made the time to do so.
I am a magazine junkie. I'll read nearly any magazine, and usually even have a subscription to a handful of different magazines. If P didn't mock Oprah as hard as he does, I'll probably even have a sub to "O", even though she's such an egomanic that she's on the cover every month.
Anyway.
Have you ever given magazines' purpose any thought? I mean, besides to sell ads, although this fits in nicely with my theory. Magazines exist to tell you about your imperfections. How to camoflage those 10 pounds. How to be more thoughtful. Stronger. Better looking, through make-up and fashion, of course. How to get rid of the gut, have a nicer house, get a better car, trick out your motorcycle, and overall, how to overhaul your sad-sack of a life. And if you want to avoid recognizing your pathetic life, you can drown yourself in celebrity tabloids. Now, those people are fucked. Even if they are rich!
Oh, and those ads? They're there to help you understand which products you'll need for your self-improvement project.
So magazines are essentially there to point out our flaws (and improve them) and to sell products.
Why do I love magazines so? A lot of them are ALL ads (hello, Vogue!). A lot have bad photography. But they're like little snippets into a culture. They're aspirational (hello, marketing buzzword!). They are a timesuck. Okay, there's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.
Plus they are a waste of paper. Few use eco-friendly inks. I gotta get over this magazine thing.
Also, I heard on the radio yesterday an interview with some gal who wrote a book about current trends. Can't recall the title, only that she works at J Walter Thompson. She was speaking about how we're all feeling an emotional void which is why we try to fill it up with products.
But it was her comments about the superficiality of our relationships that stuck with me. She said we'd rather have 14 "lite" friends of a superficial nature with whom we can have small talk. Those people make us feel good and we can interact with them in brief spurts. She claims we, as a society, prefer that to having a small group of truly deep friendships, the kind of friends we can spend two hours talking to. She asserts it's because we don't have or make time, so we squeeze our friendships in wherever we have a moment in the cracks of our lives.
She may be right. I notice this myself. I have many "friends". How many of these "friends" do I get together with on a regular basis and gift them with my time and attention. Very few, but they're also not seeking it out because we all have busy lives and they, too, seemingly prefer the kind of quick interactions that friendship seems to be about these days. I have few friends that I get together with or have long, meaningful conversations. I cherish each of these people and times we get together. But there are people with whom I'd like to spend more time....I just don't "have" the time. That's bullshit, though.
One revelation I had years ago was this: for those who don't have enough time, they need to remember it's about choices. We all have the same 24 hours in a day. No one gets any more or any less. We all choose how we spend those 24 hours. So when you don't "have" time to spend with friends, or to go to the gym or whatever, it's because it's not a priority enough to make time for it.
Which leads me back to feeling shallow and selfish because there are people I truly want to connect with and somehow haven't made the time to do so.
December 30, 2006
the waves of 2006
last year I called the year end recap "cheesy". mmmm.....cheese. i'll eat those words, cause apparently i am doing it again. it's a fun thing to look back on a year later, thus, I bring you the thumbs-up and the boos of 2006.
The Crap:
Had to put Milo down. Hands down, this was the saddest, shittiest thing of 2006. I miss him still.
The Car Accident on April 5, 2006 and the resulting loss of my cycling year. Learned how much Allstate sucks, too.
Worked a hell of a lot and didn't have much downtime during the good weather.
Basically shut down the dog biz due to being so busy in advertising.
Didn't make it to Yosemite even once.
No backpacking trips.
Parking in my 'hood.
The Good:
Sold the house right before the market skidded and did well on the sale.
Purging and simplifying during the move. It's nice to have less stuff!
A couple good car camping trips.
Having a solid friendship with my ex-spouse.
Luna staying in good health and getting to see the joy of her having two homes.
The freedom of renting versus owning. Owning isn't all it's cracked up to be.
Being in a really healthy, wonderful relationship with someone I adore.
Hippo the Cat, a fun addition to the fam.
The Crap:
Had to put Milo down. Hands down, this was the saddest, shittiest thing of 2006. I miss him still.
The Car Accident on April 5, 2006 and the resulting loss of my cycling year. Learned how much Allstate sucks, too.
Worked a hell of a lot and didn't have much downtime during the good weather.
Basically shut down the dog biz due to being so busy in advertising.
Didn't make it to Yosemite even once.
No backpacking trips.
Parking in my 'hood.
The Good:
Sold the house right before the market skidded and did well on the sale.
Purging and simplifying during the move. It's nice to have less stuff!
A couple good car camping trips.
Having a solid friendship with my ex-spouse.
Luna staying in good health and getting to see the joy of her having two homes.
The freedom of renting versus owning. Owning isn't all it's cracked up to be.
Being in a really healthy, wonderful relationship with someone I adore.
Hippo the Cat, a fun addition to the fam.
December 21, 2006
The Longest Night
It is the Winter Solstice. The shortest day. The longest night of the year.
A time of darkness. And the promise of lightness. New life. New beginnings to move forth from the darkness. A time for quiet. Introspection.
Light a candle tonight and sit for a moment in silence. Appreciate what has come to pass and all that there is to come.
December 18, 2006
Holiday Madness
People are insane right now.
For real. The frenzy of the holidays brings out the worst in people right now. The expectations of the holidays, the shopping in particular, results in people being crazed right now. Hurried. Rude. Inconsiderate. Absent-minded. Must shop. Gotta get everything on the list. People seem quick to cut each other off driving.
What about good cheer? Goodwill towards others? It's gone the wayside due to consuming, and the commercialism of this grouping of holidays.
It sucks. Reason # 613 I ignore the holidays. Perhaps this year, with taking the month off, I am more acutely aware of the madness because I am not moving anywhere near that pace of life.
In other news: I sat for a few more hours of tattoo work on my belt piece. It's nearly done; just have another couple hours of the fine details work, the shading and refining. Marcus layers his colors in like a watercolor, so he likes to see the colors from session to session so he can really work in the details. This sitting was more painful than the last one. I was complain-y and getting electrical current-like radiating sensations far from the actual needlin'.
Advice for the day: If you get tattooed along the beltline the day before, it's a really bad idea to put on spandex shorts and go to a spin class less than 24 hours after a tattoo appointment.
For real. The frenzy of the holidays brings out the worst in people right now. The expectations of the holidays, the shopping in particular, results in people being crazed right now. Hurried. Rude. Inconsiderate. Absent-minded. Must shop. Gotta get everything on the list. People seem quick to cut each other off driving.
What about good cheer? Goodwill towards others? It's gone the wayside due to consuming, and the commercialism of this grouping of holidays.
It sucks. Reason # 613 I ignore the holidays. Perhaps this year, with taking the month off, I am more acutely aware of the madness because I am not moving anywhere near that pace of life.
In other news: I sat for a few more hours of tattoo work on my belt piece. It's nearly done; just have another couple hours of the fine details work, the shading and refining. Marcus layers his colors in like a watercolor, so he likes to see the colors from session to session so he can really work in the details. This sitting was more painful than the last one. I was complain-y and getting electrical current-like radiating sensations far from the actual needlin'.
Advice for the day: If you get tattooed along the beltline the day before, it's a really bad idea to put on spandex shorts and go to a spin class less than 24 hours after a tattoo appointment.
December 15, 2006
I'm not, honest!
Playful Loon
Originally uploaded by jenworth.
I'm really truly not turning into a crazy cat lady, blogging and flickring all about my cat.
i'm just an all around animal nut, and to prove it, here's a photo of my supercute dog Luna. She took a break in between killing her stuffed toy to post for the camera.
Am I dork? Quite possibly.
December 13, 2006
Powder Days
Caught my first day of snowboarding yesterday. It was awesome! P and I got season passes to Kirkwood and since I'm taking the month off, I wanted to get up there fast. Tahoe got a foot of snow this past weekend. My friend Michelle and I drove up for the day, leaving Oakland in the rain before 6am.
We got in a good five hours of riding. My first run, as usual, left me thinking, "Do I remember how to do this?" and from there on out, it only got better. It's feeling more natural. Pilates seems to be helping my snowboarding, even!
A good good day. Wet heavy snow fell after lunch, but we still rode until the lifts closed.
So much fun. Went back to the car, and the tire chain mishap we had driving in left me with a flat tire. Called Triple-A, waited by the fire, and they came and replaced the tire and followed me up Carson Spur to make sure I could get out of the snow without my broken chains. Even that business didn't put a damper on a really fun day!
I'm already wanting to be back on the slopes!
We got in a good five hours of riding. My first run, as usual, left me thinking, "Do I remember how to do this?" and from there on out, it only got better. It's feeling more natural. Pilates seems to be helping my snowboarding, even!
A good good day. Wet heavy snow fell after lunch, but we still rode until the lifts closed.
So much fun. Went back to the car, and the tire chain mishap we had driving in left me with a flat tire. Called Triple-A, waited by the fire, and they came and replaced the tire and followed me up Carson Spur to make sure I could get out of the snow without my broken chains. Even that business didn't put a damper on a really fun day!
I'm already wanting to be back on the slopes!
December 11, 2006
Kitten needs a name!
Killing the Duck
Originally uploaded by jenworth.
Mr. Kitten just ain't cuttin' it as his name.
No name has really jumped out. I had considered naming him True, since he was found at Truitt and White, the lumber yard, as a stray.
P didn't care for that name.
Help name the cat!
Current names under consideration:
P likes Angus. It makes me think "steak".
Henry. P likes, and I can live with it. A bit of a lackluster name.
Zeppo. I like, P is neutral. Zeppo is random. A bit nuts.
When he's not hiding under the couch, he's zipping all over the place. Kitty freak-outs. Attacking anything not moving. The spazzattack last about 15 minutes, then he's back under the couch for a nap.
We wonder if he needs a sibling. Most of the time he's a lone wolf just chillin'. But maybe he'd do well with a buddy?
December 7, 2006
December 6, 2006
Adding to the family....
No, no, no. I'm not knocked up.
I adopted a kitten. He's being neutered today and I bring him home after his surgery.
The little guy picked ME, I swear. He's an orange tabby. He seems super mellow, at least in the shelter environment.
Kitten!
I adopted a kitten. He's being neutered today and I bring him home after his surgery.
The little guy picked ME, I swear. He's an orange tabby. He seems super mellow, at least in the shelter environment.
Kitten!
November 20, 2006
Mellow Monday and more to come
Ahhhhhhh.
Not gloating, but I'm done working! I left there Friday night with a sense of relief.
I had to teach Saturday morning at 7am, though. But I always get extra energized when I'm teaching a Spin class. My music, my designed workout and, in a sense, it's a bit of a performance. Two hours of class flew by. Saturday afternoon I took a three hour yoga class. One of my long-time teachers does a three hour workshop once a month. It's a way to chip away at the crust in one's muscles in a deep way. A hot tub and sauna finished my Saturday off nicely.
Sunday was more mellow, until we had a special birthday spin class for one of our friends, followed by a get-together at Trader Vics in Emeryville. Love that place, despite it being expensive with marginal service.
Luna girl didn't go to her Dads on Sunday night like she usually does. She's staying here for a couple more days, until I leave for Chicago. It's nice having a dog here more than two days a week. She's far less of a freak than she once was and has settled into being a nice mellow dog.
More mellow than manic today, too. I could get used to this. Got a massage this morning and then went to yoga. Did some errands, been chilling out at home, and now off to Spin.
After I get back from Thanksgiving travel, I plan to take a look at the December calendar and squeeze in some adventure, be it a camping trip or a quick visit to Yosemite. I'm hoping for snow soon, so I can start making use of this season pass to Kirkwood. The dude is saving for his motorcycle so there's no days off for fun outta him anytime soon.
I swear my shoulders are sitting three inches lower now that I'm not a computer slave in a shitty chair in a dark cube.
La la la. I could get used to this freedom.
Not gloating, but I'm done working! I left there Friday night with a sense of relief.
I had to teach Saturday morning at 7am, though. But I always get extra energized when I'm teaching a Spin class. My music, my designed workout and, in a sense, it's a bit of a performance. Two hours of class flew by. Saturday afternoon I took a three hour yoga class. One of my long-time teachers does a three hour workshop once a month. It's a way to chip away at the crust in one's muscles in a deep way. A hot tub and sauna finished my Saturday off nicely.
Sunday was more mellow, until we had a special birthday spin class for one of our friends, followed by a get-together at Trader Vics in Emeryville. Love that place, despite it being expensive with marginal service.
Luna girl didn't go to her Dads on Sunday night like she usually does. She's staying here for a couple more days, until I leave for Chicago. It's nice having a dog here more than two days a week. She's far less of a freak than she once was and has settled into being a nice mellow dog.
More mellow than manic today, too. I could get used to this. Got a massage this morning and then went to yoga. Did some errands, been chilling out at home, and now off to Spin.
After I get back from Thanksgiving travel, I plan to take a look at the December calendar and squeeze in some adventure, be it a camping trip or a quick visit to Yosemite. I'm hoping for snow soon, so I can start making use of this season pass to Kirkwood. The dude is saving for his motorcycle so there's no days off for fun outta him anytime soon.
I swear my shoulders are sitting three inches lower now that I'm not a computer slave in a shitty chair in a dark cube.
La la la. I could get used to this freedom.
November 14, 2006
Too funny!
So yesterday I posted my wish to the universe to hand me a slow period of work, since I seem unable to do it for myself.
Within two hours, I received an email about more work. HA!
It's a project I worked on a while back. It's more arty than what I usually produce. It's about art, not advertising. It's working from home finding cool art to be in klassy stores. It's working from h o m e . That alone is meaningful. Yes, of course there are the usual politics, layers of approvals, and the usual. But it could start after Thanksgiving and take me through the end of March.
working from home. during snowboarding season. uh huh.
i am going to give them my highest rate and see if they bite. no loss if they don't!
Within two hours, I received an email about more work. HA!
It's a project I worked on a while back. It's more arty than what I usually produce. It's about art, not advertising. It's working from home finding cool art to be in klassy stores. It's working from h o m e . That alone is meaningful. Yes, of course there are the usual politics, layers of approvals, and the usual. But it could start after Thanksgiving and take me through the end of March.
working from home. during snowboarding season. uh huh.
i am going to give them my highest rate and see if they bite. no loss if they don't!
November 13, 2006
The Wall
I've hit the proverbial wall. I'm done. I'm exhausted. And cranky.
I no longer care. I just want to be done.
I've been working too much this year. Giving too much of my own energy, brainpower and life. I don't know how the people around me, the staffers, do it. We're all working on one of the biggest product launches in years, and these exhausted souls have been at it for months.
I wish I could be done working in advertising. I think what I find so draining about it is that I find it meaningless. It doesn't fuel my need to do personally meaningful work that has a purpose that I find worthwhile.
Today, while riding BART into the city, I thought, "I really wonder what it would take to work in Veterinary Medicine." In high school I abandoned my call to be a Vet, thanks (or not) to some very misguided advice from my high school guidance counselor.
I want to work with animals. I want to be involved in holistic health. This is all overshadowed by my reluctance to go into debt by going back to school.
It's hard to summon the ongoing energy to work on something that doesn't feel fulfilling.
I've also realized that if I want time off, I need to turn down work. I would really like the month of December off. I'm just putting that out into the universe, since I seem to have a difficult time turning down work.
In other news:
I've really been feeling the loss of Milo lately. I've had a couple hard crying jags. He would have been eight at the end of this month. I still miss his velvety block head and weighty silent presence on a regular basis.
I have decided to take fun into my own hands. Years ago, I said I wanted to do a rafting trip through the Grand Canyon. Next year, I will do it. Alone.
I've also been talking about taking a yoga teacher training course. Next year I want to begin this. I'm not saying I will be a yoga teacher immediately afterwards, but I want to begin the process.
Starting in December, I have a permanent slot teaching Spin at Berkeley Ironworks. An evening class, even!
There's a lot of good in my life. I just need to take a step back from all this work to recognize and appreciate it.
I no longer care. I just want to be done.
I've been working too much this year. Giving too much of my own energy, brainpower and life. I don't know how the people around me, the staffers, do it. We're all working on one of the biggest product launches in years, and these exhausted souls have been at it for months.
I wish I could be done working in advertising. I think what I find so draining about it is that I find it meaningless. It doesn't fuel my need to do personally meaningful work that has a purpose that I find worthwhile.
Today, while riding BART into the city, I thought, "I really wonder what it would take to work in Veterinary Medicine." In high school I abandoned my call to be a Vet, thanks (or not) to some very misguided advice from my high school guidance counselor.
I want to work with animals. I want to be involved in holistic health. This is all overshadowed by my reluctance to go into debt by going back to school.
It's hard to summon the ongoing energy to work on something that doesn't feel fulfilling.
I've also realized that if I want time off, I need to turn down work. I would really like the month of December off. I'm just putting that out into the universe, since I seem to have a difficult time turning down work.
In other news:
I've really been feeling the loss of Milo lately. I've had a couple hard crying jags. He would have been eight at the end of this month. I still miss his velvety block head and weighty silent presence on a regular basis.
I have decided to take fun into my own hands. Years ago, I said I wanted to do a rafting trip through the Grand Canyon. Next year, I will do it. Alone.
I've also been talking about taking a yoga teacher training course. Next year I want to begin this. I'm not saying I will be a yoga teacher immediately afterwards, but I want to begin the process.
Starting in December, I have a permanent slot teaching Spin at Berkeley Ironworks. An evening class, even!
There's a lot of good in my life. I just need to take a step back from all this work to recognize and appreciate it.
October 29, 2006
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