Marathon Life

Rock n Roll San Diego Marathon Comeback: Still a lot of work to do

2014-06-10T23:42:00.000-07:00

I had every intention to update this blog on my journey to run a marathon for the first time in 7 years. I really should have written an in-depth analysis of each long run I had leading up to the race. I've had a string of injuries and a long-time hamstring injury that now, after 7 years, is "mostly" gone.

On June 1, 2014 I ran my first marathon since June of 2007 at the Rock n Roll San Diego Marathon. Ironically I was returning to the last marathon I ran 7 years previously (and my fastest marathon time posted). It was a long 7 years without marathon running in my life. In 2013 I started to train in late March to try to squeeze in the Rock n Roll Marathon, but after a horrendous 20-mile training run in mid-May, I scrapped my plans to run it. I wasn't ready. I knew it would be a struggle and I knew I would be unhappy with my result. So I just didn't do it and focused on a possible winter 2014 marathon. Then when it came time to train in the fall, I decided to just wait until spring 2014 and I made plans to run RnR in June here in San Diego.

I may not have been ready to run the RnR Marathon this year either. But, I did complete the race, just not in the time I wanted. So here goes. This is my story and analysis of what went wrong and how I can learn from it.

Leading up to this race, I was able to several long runs of 14+ miles. I started tracking my training in January and began doing my long runs on the weekends. I started out with 8 and 9 mile runs by mid-January. By Feb I was up to 10 & 11 milers. In March I really turned the training up with a 14 and 15 mile run. My paces, according to my Nike + on my iPod, said I did those runs at close to 7:00 per mile pace, just under at 6:57 in fact. I never doubted the accuracy of the Nike application. I had calibrated it in February so I thought it was the truth. I felt strong. I felt confident. (FORESHADOWING HERE).

April 5, a 19 mile run at 7:07 pace in the sun. I felt decent. Everything was going my way. I never doubted anything. I felt I could sustain my pacing. I followed that run with an 18.5 mile run on April 12 at 7:09 pace, again in the sun. April 19, a 20-mile run at 7:03 pace. Things were looking up. My goal was to do at least 2 runs at 20+ miles. Ideally I wanted 4 but I didn't want to push it too much. It was my first marathon in 7 years. I wanted to make it to the starting line.

Here are the final long runs I did in the training cycle:
April 26: 14.6 miles at 7:03 pace
May 3: 18.69 miles at 7:09 pace
May 9: 22.1 miles at 7:01 pace (FINAL LONG RUN)
May 17: 17.07 miles at 6:55 pace
May 24: 14.06 miles at 6:50 pace

Based on my training, I felt I had this marathon in the bag. My original goal was to just run anything under 3:10:00, my Boston Marathon qualifying time for a male 35-39 years old. I'm 38 now. I figured that I could easily get under 3:10 but I was really training for a 2:59 (my secret goal) so I would have some cushion should anything go wrong in the race. I felt that if I could hold the paces I had during training, I could go a little faster (6:50 pace) in the race and possibly toy with another sub-3 hour marathon. I have done it twice in my marathon career.

SIDENOTE: The first time was at the 2006 Boston Marathon where I ran the race of my life and finished at 2:59:07. Then, the next year at the Rock n Roll San Diego Marathon I ran another PR with a 2:57:41 finish. I was on fire those years. Then I got injured in Dec 2007 playing tennis and tearing my right hamstring badly. All bets were off. Off and on PT sessions and I sat 7 years on the sidelines without running another marathon until 2014. I missed the best marathoning years of my life (ages 32-37).

MARATHON SUNDAY - June 1, 2014

FIRST HALF
Miles 1-6: I purposely didn't run too fast in those early miles when it's so easy to do so. Everyone is pumped and full of adrenaline. I wanted to stay EXACTLY on a 1:30:00 pace for the first half. I wanted to to have enough juice for the second half. These miles go from Balboa Park up through Hillcrest, down Park Blvd to downtown. Then it crosses through Little Italy (a few inclines). I crossed the 10K split at 42:24 (6:49 pace). Right on target.

Miles 6-13: I kept plugging along. There definitely were some minor hills here and other inclines I didn't expect. Through Little Italy after the 10K I definitely felt these. I also felt like I was sweating a lot more than normal. I was drinking the bottle I had around my waist and grabbed water at the stations every 2 miles.

Around mile 7-8 we entered Mission Hills and another small incline. I decided to take one of the GU gels they were handing out. Just in case. We made our way through Old Town (more inclines), then along Morena Blvd adjacent to Mission Bay Park. I knew the half-way point was along the bike course in Mission Bay Park. So in order to get over there we had to cross a bridge over the 5 freeway around mile 11 that also was a minor hill. I took my Cliff shot bloks here with water. Actually my bottle fell so I had to stop and grab it. My goal was to get to the half marathon by 1:30. I crossed at 1:30:18, 6:53 pace! RIGHT ON PACE!

Miles 14-20: Once I passed mile 14 I knew trying for a sub-3 hour marathon was out of the question. I was already fatigued, but I felt like I had some room to slow and not blow my chances at at least the sub 3:10:00. I kept moving and just focused on staying within distance and keeping a cushion. Miles 17-19 were definitely challenging me. I fought and fought and tried not to slow down. Before we went onto the 163 and faced the MAJOR hill, there was a minor hill in that we had to go across a bridge to get to the other side of the 5 during the last part of mile 19. I didn't like this at all. We were on the freeway now and mile 20 was right in front of me. I crossed mile 20 at 2:21:42, a 7:05 pace overall.

My actual time from crossing the half marathon split to mile 20 was 51:24 (6.89 miles at 7:27 pace). So I did slow down considerably from my first half pace. If I held this pace I would finish at 3:06-3:07 and change. I knew I would lose a few minutes on the hill though. It was going to be close. The sun also came out right as I was getting onto the freeway. Great.

Miles 20-21: I knew going in that the race had this MAJOR hill from mile 20-21. I figured it was less than a mile and I didn't think it was going to be that bad. I even drove on it in the days before since it was on the northbound side of the 163 freeway. It seemed gradual but I really couldn't assess the true nature of it.

I am going to say this now and I honestly believe it's the truth. This was the most difficult hill of ANY race I have EVER run in my ENTIRE LIFE. Period. Having this hill at this stage of a marathon is absolutely INSANE. Since I have run Boston Marathon 4 times, I honestly believe RnR is MORE DIFFICULT. This hill is EXACTLY 1 mile long with no breaks, all incline. There are no areas where the hill levels off and then continues to ascend. On Boston Marathon's Heartbreak Hill, there are areas where you have breaks of flatness. Not on this one.

I tried my hardest to NOT WALK. I made it about 3/4 of the way up and I just felt I needed to walk in order to save myself from collapse. I walked about 30 seconds and then ran the rest of the way up. The hill ended with the on ramp to get to Hillcrest and University Avenue on 10th ave. I had nothing left. As I crossed mile 21, I looked at the clock and determined I needed to run 7:40 pace the rest of the race (5.2 miles) to just squeak by with a sub 3:10:00 and a Boston Marathon qualifying time. Given the state of my body and my mind I knew odds were against me. I tried though.

Miles 22-24: As I crossed mile 22 I looked at the clock and I knew I wasn't going to break 3:10:00. I kept thinking about the 163 hill and how truly devastating it was. I was becoming extremely thirsty since the sun was out in full force now. This isn't how I wanted this marathon to end. At this point I was toying with the idea of walking the rest in. But I still wanted to post a decent time. I just didn't know if it was worth it to kill myself since I knew I wasn't going to finish under 3:10:00. I ended up walking portions of mile 22 and 23. I tried to walk only 20-30 second spurts. I only did this a few times per mile. As we made our way through Morley field, yet another hill. Not fun. Then finally we were on Pershing and I knew mile 24 was at the top of that hill. I decided I would run the rest of the race in (as much as I could). I flew painfully down Pershing and as it flattened out I walked again for 20 seconds. I then forced myself to run.

Miles 25-26.2: My legs were completely shot. It was painful to move. I could barely run but I ran. I just wanted to be done with it. I wanted to eat the pecan roll my good friend Alex promised she would bring to me at the finish line. I felt disappointed that all this training resulted in a sub-par performance. As I made my way down the final stretch I saw the clock read 3:18 something. I ran as hard as I could to stay within the 3:18 minute and finished at 3:18:52. It was my 4th slowest time out of the 11 marathons I have run since 2001. I finished 159th overall out of 5400 runners. Not bad, but I've certainly done better.

Finish line delirium: After I crossed the finish line I bent over to stretch my hamstrings, which felt awful and like I had lead in my blood. I had so much pain in my legs. I actually sat on the ground for a moment to catch my breath. I was not in a good state. I got back up since I was determined to find Alex and Jason who were waiting for me somewhere in the family meeting area. I told them to go to the "B" section and to expect me around 3 hours after the race started. So I was a little off. I then became very lightheaded.

A half marathon finisher girl asked me if I was ok. I could barely answer her. I told her I was dizzy and needed to sit down. I was stumbling as I walked, almost like a drunk, but a medicated drunk. She got someone from the medical tent to come over and I was wheeled into the tent. I was there for the next hour. They gave me Gatorade with added salt (disgusting!!), ice bags and told me to put my feet up on a box whileI laid in the cot. After the dizziness was mostly gone the next task was to be able to stand up. It took me 15 min to be able to do that. I then had to lay back down again and start over again. Finally I decided to leave and try to walk it off. I found Alex and Jason, who were miraculously waiting in the Family Reunion section. The walk out of the finish area to that section felt longer than the actual marathon itself! I bit into the pecan roll (despite not having much of an appetite).

Marathon Post-Mortem: When I looked at my Nike+ tracker on my iPod it said I ran 28 miles instead of 26.2. This meant that all of my runs using that application were inaccurate. This meant that it said I was running faster then I really was. This wasn't good. This wasn't good at all. I was led to believe I was in better shape than I actually was. All those "7:03" paced training runs were actually a lot slower. I have determined the pace was most likely off by at least 20-30 seconds per mile. I can't quite nail it down. Regardless, if I had had an accurate training device, I may have approached the race differently.

I have a few options if I still want to qualify for the 2015 Boston Marathon.

Option 1: Run another marathon before registration begins in mid-September for the Boston Marathon. That means I need to run a full marathon in under 3:10:00. I have found one race in Ventura, CA. The Ventura Marathon on Sept 7. The course is relatively flat from what I have read and there should be good coastal fog and cloud cover up there. I would basically start formalized training in late June through Sept. That means an additional 8 weeks of training. I'll probably need to build up to another 20+ mile run, maybe 2. It's a short time span but I am utilizing the training base I already have.

Option 2: Focus on running a marathon in early 2015 to qualify for Boston Marathon in 2016. Since I will be turning 39 in December, that means for the 2016 race I will be 40 (YIKES) but my Boston qualifying time becomes 3:15:00 instead of 3:10:00. Five more valuable minutesI will gain! This seems more realistic.

I am leaning to Option 1. Still undecided. I'm not ready to give up marathons just yet. I have run 6 qualifying times for the Boston Marathon. I still feel I have a few more in me.

A painfully slower Father Joe's Thanksgiving 5K

2013-11-30T16:58:00.004-08:00

Since my company was paying for yet another race as part of their Wellness program, I decided to sign up for a Thanksgiving day 5K race, the Father Joe's Villages 5K. I was debating if I should run it as I heard it was the same course as the Komen 5K on Nov 3, which I previously wrote about . That was my first official race since 2008. I was relatively happy with my 9th overall finish and 1st in my age division.

This race, however, was a completely different story. When I found out the day before that the course was not the same as Komen and didn't have the steep half mile hill at the end, I was so happy. I figured I could shave off some time from the 19:02 at Komen. Well, it didn't happen. After a fast first mile (5:50?), I struggled in the last half of the race, slowing down considerably and ended with a 19:40 finish. It wasn't all bad news though. The silver lining was that I placed 2nd in the 35-39 age group out of over 100 people in that division. I was 56th overall out of about 2,200 people. You can see my age division results here and overall results here.

I realize it's only 38 seconds slower, but that's an eternity in a 5K race. I just didn't feel great from the start. Here's a breakdown of the mistakes I made from the start that affected my performance and how I can learn from it. Looking back on it, I clearly see why I finished slower.

1. Too much caffeine: I made the mistake of having half of an Americano (made on my awesome new Breville espresso machine) an hour before the race. Normally, I don't like to consume a ton of caffeine before a race, but I figured it would help me get a burst of energy since I was tired from getting up at 6:20am. This plan backfired. The shot was so concentrated, I think it was too much and I didn't realize it.

2. Not enough food: I only ate a single slice of raisin bread instead of my usual cereal with milk. I didn't want to chance it with any dairy and racing hard (stomach issues). I should have stuck with my routine.

3. Lack of hydration. I didn't have enough water with breakfast. I should have had at least 16 oz of water. I had a few sips. I was worried about peeing, but there were porta-potties everywhere. The last race had tons of water at the starting line since the finish was also in the same area. My mouth was a bit dry right before we the start and I was super nervous. I should have brought the water bottle from my car with me, but didn't. So after about a minute of running, my mouth felt like a desert and chalky. It affected my breathing too. It was like I had no saliva in my mouth!! I have never had this happen to me before! It was scary and I started to panic. I was hoping there would be a water table at Mile 1, but I didn't see water until just before Mile 2. Too late.

So those three factors affected my performance in a major way. The course itself was not that bad. At the half mile mark there was a small hill. At 1.5 miles there was a larger, steeper rolling hill, but it was short. It was a relatively flat course that was WAY EASIER than the Komen. Figures

One last thing. Before the Komen race I did 2 "mock" 5Ks on the treadmill in the preceding weeks. This time I only did a few mile repeats on the treadmill at a faster clip, but not at my goal speed. And that was just once on the Monday night before the Thursday am race. I should have done more speed work to get my body acclimated to racing hard.

Now I know. Being out of competitive racing for 5 years has affected how I approach races. I forget the little things that can have a big impact on race day performance. You live and learn. There's always another 5K. I think I may try one in mid-December. We will see how I feel.

My First Race in 5 years - Nov 3 Komen 5K

2013-11-16T10:30:00.000-08:00

I have abandoned this blog and had no intention to. Due to a string of injuries and a stubborn hamstring injury from Dec 2007, I haven't competed in a marathon since June 2007. I decided that I will try another marathon in 2014, just 7 years later. My hamstring is still an issue, but it's something I can deal with now more efficiently. I got used to the pain and my mind focuses on something else. The scar tissue is there and I feel it when I run.

On Nov 3, I raced my first road race since 2008 at the Susan Komen Race for the Cure. I ended up coming in 9th place overall,1st in the 35-39 age group with a 19:02! Results are here. Granted, this race was more about charity so there were only about 500 "timed" runners. The super fast runners didn't come out for this race so the field was less competitive. Still, I felt given the long layoff from racing, it was a respectable showing. It wasn't my fastest time for a 5K (17:59) but not my slowest.

Photo Credit: Mike Regala Photography. Me at the starting line!

I was extremely nervous since I hadn't competed in a race for so long. The last time I raced it was a glorious day when came in 5th place at the San Diego Camp Pendleton Mud Run in Oct 2008. That was such a long time ago.

I was aiming to run in the 18-19 min range for this 5K since I really didn't know the course or what I was capable or doing. I had been running 25 miles per week or so and thew in some fast workouts on the treadmill. I had done a few "mock" 5Ks to see where I was at so I knew I would be around that time.

Race Breakdown
I ran the first mile way to fast at 5:40. At mile 2 my split was 11:52, which I purposely slowed down. But during the final mile my wheels fell apart due to the half mile hill right at the end. We actually ran onto the 163 freeway and up an exit ramp at the Quince Street exit. That was HORRENDOUS to happen at that stage of a fast race. My legs seized up and I could feel the lactic acid. If that part were flat, I seriously would be at least 45 second faster. The good news is that only 1 person passed me on the hill and that was it. After I finally got to the top of the hill, I saw that there was only about a quarter mile left so I ran as fast as I could. I saw the clock ticking down and wanted to at least break 19:00, but just missed it. My legs and lungs were on fire.

After the race, it took me several hours to breathe properly. With time, I should get used to the faster racing outdoors. I need to get my lungs acclimated to that type of super heavy aerobic activity.

A Blog from the Past - Sept 11, 2001

2011-09-11T20:18:00.000-07:00

On this day, Sept 11, 2011, 10 years from that dreaded day I am posting what I wrote in my now defunct Geocities blog. It was short and sweet. I didn't want to dwell on everything. Here it is below:

****

Sept 11, 2001 - I guess I'll never forget this. It was tough to watch it all happen with the World Trade Center crumbling to the earth and the other crashes happening in DC and PA. I couldn't understand the reasons why. I'm thankful for my life and am lucky not to have been in NY when it happened. It scares me since I travel for work from Logan mostly on American Airlines. I'm scared to take a flight I have to San Francisco on the 22nd. My friend Molly called me from the west coast because she couldn't remember what date I was leaving. There are a lot of things I take for granted and this tragedy really put things in perspective for me. Things could be a lot worse in my life.

****

As I stated, I was thankful I still had my life and I didn't lose anyone. But so many others did. I remember the day so vividly. After arriving at work, per usual, I brought up Yahoo News as my main page on the browser. At the time, I worked at a company called NewsEdge. They published real-time news and information/articles that would be published and integrated on company's corporate sites and intranets. As a Marketing Coordinator I organized email marketing and trade shows. We did about 10 shows a year and most of them were in NY and on the west coast that year. I was planning for a trip out in San Jose in late Sept so things were pretty busy. I remember seeing a small headline on Yahoo that read, "Plane reported to hit World Trade Center". There was no other information. I went to the kitchen and mentioned to a co-worker how odd it was for a plane to get that close to the towers. I figured it was a small plane and maybe it went through a window or something. He agreed how weird it was that a plane was even that close and we went back to your desks.

Then I turned on the radio and was hearing stuff on NPR about DC and attacks there. I thought it was a joke. It didn't seem real. I didn't really understand the situation and what was happening. More and more news started to come in and then I realized what was happening. I saw the photos online of the first plane crashing into the tower. We had a news room downstairs for the editors who post the real time news. Both towers had fallen. Everyone was in shock.

I remember when the VP of marketing at the time (David Meerman Scott) said, "We have many customers in the World Trade Center who are now dead." The gravity of the situation really hit me at that point. I started to think about all the people I knew in NYC. There was my friend Susan, but she worked at the Whitney Museum in upper Manhattan. Then there was my friend KT. I had no idea where she worked. She was in the financial sector and I thought there was a chance she worked at the WTC, but I got an email from her letting me know she worked in NJ and was safe. Then my friend TJ was a law student. He was ok and actually was a few blocks away. I don't talk to him that often but did get an email response from him that day letting me know he was ok.

I stayed at work late actually when most people were already home glued to their TVs (like my roommates). At NewsEdge David thought we should send an email alert out through our email marketing system to let customers know that there would be a disruption of our news wire services due to the WTC's towers falling. The antennas at the top distributed much of our financial news wires.

When I got home around 7:30pm that evening I decided to go on a run to try to de-stress. I recall listening to Bjork's song "Unison" from her recently released album Vesperine. For some reason the song and some of its lyrics stuck with me. "Let's unite tonight." I thought about all the hate in the world. How the WTC tragedy was a direct result of this hate. The terrorists and the US are not united. I thought about the opposite of this song. How un-united we all are. And now, whenever I hear this song, I think of 9/11.

In the 10 years since this horrible day, many more people have died because of terrorism. So many of our armed forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. I think about how we have had 2 recessions and now possibly a third. So many people are struggling in this post-9/11 economy and I believe it all stems from that tragic day. The US has spent billions of dollars. What if 9/11 didn't happen? Would the world be different today? Would our economy be different? Would another tragic event have happened in its place? Most likely so.

I Spoke Too Soon

2011-08-18T22:19:00.000-07:00

Nope. I thought that the nightmare of a patio/door repair was done. Well, it is not. It took us a while to do another water test after they came back to properly seal up under the door so water would not come in from the patio. The week after the failed water test, the door subcontractor's workers came back and sealed up underneath the door threshold and also made adjustments to the bottom of the door.

So finally we got around to do another test on Fri, Aug 5. I was fearful that water was still going to come through. My fears become a reality unfortunately. The contractor was not present for the water test, but I ended up taking a video of it which you can see above. We simply used a garden hose and a nozzle with a shower spray setting. I simulated as best as I could a rain storm. I distinctly recall water hitting those doors very hard last winter/spring. So I put it to a level I thought was appropriate. Within minutes water was coming through the middle of the two doors. I immediately called the contractor and also the door contractor he hired (the subcontractor). It turns out the window guy is the one who has to deal with this.

Finally, after constant back and forth with the unit owner, he came today to look at it. He said he has to make some kind of adjustment to it next Monday. I am terrified that water is going to come through again and flood into my ceilings/walls. All those repairs may be wasted, about $9,000 worth. We WILL NOT pay for any damage caused by water coming through those doors!

The contractor is trying to tell us we are doing the water test wrong and that we can't just spray directly into the door. I explained through email that I did not do that. I went side to side as if it were a windy rain storm. He will not be accountable for his error. What other excuse is he going to give us once it rains and water comes through again? How can he possibly blame us for this? I want to PREVENT this from happening by simulating a storm. If he wants to wait until it rains for real to see that his "fix it job" didn't work, then I guess that is all we can do at this point.

We will be doing a THIRD water test after he fixes he. Neither the owner nor me could be there today. He apparently told my neighbor that there is nothing wrong with the door, but he will be back to add something to the bottom of it. Whatever. I am SO DONE with this guy. Regardless of the outcome, I will file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and the State Contractors Licensing Board. I may just do it now.

IT'S ON!

Favourite San Diego Things: Hillcrest Farmer's Market

2011-08-04T23:57:00.000-07:00

Thai food at the market

I am starting a new series of posts discussing some of my favourite things to do in San Diego to try to get myself more into blogging about stuff OTHER than my condo owning frustrations and repairs. I will also spell EXACTLY like Canadians using "ou" and "re" as much as possible. I just like that way the words look on the page. They are distinctive. Call me a fool or whatever you want. I will not change! I am HONOURED to do this for all the Canadian-wannabes out there!

So this week we will talk about the Hillcrest Farmer's Market, which happens every single Sunday from 9am to 2pm. It's a huge one that takes up the Hillcrest DMV's parking lot and parts of Normal Street in San Diego's Hillcrest neighborhood. It is about 1.75 miles from my condo. I used to live under a km away but I moved to the other side of the University Heights neighbourhood here in San Diego.

This vendor always has a vast selection of humus and tapenade

It's part of my routine to go here every single Sunday that I am in town. I will usually drive 1 miles and park on Cleveland Street and walk over. Sometimes I do walk there, but it takes like 25 min, so for time efficiency I drive the 3 minutes. I always walk around the fruit side first. There are many produce vendors and most of them offer free samples. One in particular offers many samples of oranges, plums, pluots, cherries, raisins and if that's not enough, avacados as well. It's great that you can sample everything before buying it. Pluots are currently in season and are very good. I love the ones that are more tart than sweet.

What else? Well they have great food vendors too. You can get a great selection of humus (see photo above) from this one vendor. They have about 10 different humus flavors including curry, basil. jalapeno, beet and even peanut butter. My favs are beet and curry, peanut butter coming in a close third. There is also a great Thai booth where you can get silver dollar sized coconut mini-pancakes for a very cheap price - 5 for $1. It's great. They also make about 5-6 traditional Thai dishes right on the spot. Another place called Flavors of East Africa has amazing food. It is Kenyan food, but tastes somewhat like Indian, but not as spicy. They have tasty samosas, which are fried or baked triangular shaped savory pastries. You can get them with or without ground beef or chicken inside and also includes spiced onions, peas, carrots, lentils (vegetarian option).

One of the fruit vendors and the many samples

The real deals are in the last 15 minutes of the farmer's market. One particular fruit vendor on the northeast side always has a half off sale starting at 1:45pm. All fruit is half off from $3/lb to $1.50. I usually get the pluots and nectarines during these sales. Their fruit is organic and very sweet.

Repairs complete and San Diego Pride

2011-07-23T15:34:00.000-07:00

Repairs finally completed!

I sincerely hope that I will never have to deal with water coming into my condo again. The weekend following the failed water test (July 4 weekend) the drywall on the walls and ceilings were put back up. You can see the result on the right. I just need to paint it to match the rest of the living room. The week after the failed test, the door subcontractor's workers came back and sealed up underneath the door threshold and also made adjustments to the bottom of the door. We still need to do another water test and are going to get that done soon. I have written a fair and somewhat negative review of the contractor on Angie's List. We will never hire him again. Sorry but we need someone who is going to do the job right and hire the RIGHT people and monitor the fucking project. So fed up right now. Thankfully, the guy we hired to reflash the kitchen garden windows is great and does the work himself. So if we have any other issues we will hire him.

In terms of running my lower back has been tight and my hamstrings haven't felt that great. More and more I think my marathon days are over. I can't get above 9-10 miles without discomfort. I now cannot run two days in a row without having some kind of leg and back pain. If I run every other day it seems to be more palatable. I think I may do a 5K soon just to see how I can do with the short distances. I have been running 3-4 times a week and pushing the paces a bit. Although I have not tried to run track workouts and actually done interval paces (like paces that I would race at 6:00 min/mile pace or faster). I may try that but I am afraid of injuring myself.

Coming out of the closet!

San Diego Pride was last weekend. It was so much fun. Margaret Cho performed at the festival on Saturday night. I really enjoyed her. There were lots of parties and running around all weekend so I was wiped out and so was J****. There was this cool "closet" door at the festival. I had a lot of fun taking various shots of the people, etc. I didn't get to see Frenchie Davis on Sunday. We were already at the festival and then J**** had to drive back home so the timing didn't work out.

A Year Later in San Diego

2011-07-01T06:56:00.000-07:00

Rain in SoCal (photo credit: Francisco Arcaut)

Yesterday, June 30, was my year anniversary of closing on my condo. I'd have to say my first year of condo ownership has been an exciting and tumultuous ride. There were highs and lows. I have learned a lot, especially since becoming the HOA Board President. Even though it is stressful to deal with repairs and owner concerns/attitudes/drama, I feel this is the best thing for me. I guess it's my way of keeping things in control. I am making sure that things are structurally sound. In the past year we have had repairs to our tile roof, the patio/door above my unit that was causing a leak and all four garden windows in the kitchens (including mine) have been re-flashed due to leaking. The rains were pretty heavy for San Diego standards this past Fall/Winter and we paid the price. Typically it doesn't rain as hard or as often, but for the past year (June 30-July 1, 2011) we received 12.65 inches of rain. I realize that doesn't sound like a lot, but for Southern California standards it is significant, but not excessive. Our average rainfall is 10.77 inches. Some years were as low as 4-6 inches since I have lived here. I remember 2004/2005 we had 20+ inches, which was extremely rare.

June 30 was also the day that I gave my notice at my previous job in Orange County. I was very unhappy living up there so I am so glad that everything happened the way it did. I started a contract job in mid-July, but received a full-time offer at the agency I work for now 2 days into my contract job. It was all meant to be. I am still standing after 1 year and hope to remain in this position for a very long time. It's time Anthony stays at a job for more than 1-2 years. It's time to really THRIVE at my career. So far, I am doing really well. My goal is to be promoted within the next 18 months. I do think it's possible. I tend to not stay around long enough to even be promoted. I enjoy my work now since I no longer have to be stuck in the tech B2B world. I get to work within health care marketing on the B2C side and also do some work within B2B in the construction industry. It's great that I am now expanding my experience within other industry verticals. For so long I was pigeon-holed within the B2B technology/software/hardware market.

Running-wise I am doing ok, but not great. I have been trying to do 4 runs a week with the longest runs around 8-9 miles. This past week I did 9.5 miles and maintained a 7:07 pace, which was decent. I have run faster runs though in training. At my peak in 2007 I was doing 15-20 mile runs around 6:55 pace. My hamstrings still ache and now my lower back is tight. I believe this is due to not sitting correctly at work and hunching over too much. I am trying to work on this and maintain proper posture. I have been able to maintain pace averages from as fast as 6:50-7:15 min/mile pace, which is typical for me. I still worry about how I would perform in a race. I am pondering doing a 5K race in a few weeks during San Diego Pride weekend. I also may do a half marathon in November. I am not ready to do a half marathon in August (America's Finest City Half Marathon). It has sold out so it makes the decision easier for me. In terms of a marathon, I may try to do the Carlsbad Marathon in January, or Long Beach Marathon in Oct. Not sure yet. My body is just not like it used to be. I'm not as resilient.

One last mention about the entire patio/door repair. Last Friday, June 24, we did a water test to make sure the door was installed correctly and that no water would get through. Well, after a few minutes of spraying at the threshold of the door, water leaked through! I couldn't fucking believe it. I was actually really sad. After 7 weeks, I thought this mess was over with. The contractor had no explanation since he wasn't here when his subcontractors installed it. Once again, showing why we should have NEVER hired this guy. He was not involved enough and on site enough to monitor the job and the careless people he hired to do it.

After about 20 min of pressure spraying we determined that the under the threshold of the door there was not enough polyurethane put in, therefore creating a gap where water could leak through. VERY BASIC STUFF! I was outraged that such a careless mistake could be made, especially knowing that was one of the EXACT SAME PROBLEM we had with the previous door. Of course there were other issues like the fact that the door was never installed correctly or flashed correctly to begin with. The other issue we determined with this door is that the area where the bottom of the door meets the threshold, water gets through. So the manufacturer had to be called and after 5 days has finally called us back and are going to come here on Tues, July 5 to fix it. I am also involving the contractor to make sure everything is done correctly. We have a 5 year warranty on the weatherproofing system.

I have already started to have the ceiling and walls repaired, finally, after 6 months of the walls and ceilings of being open. I was waiting for the patio to be complete before starting. I didn't anticipate the water test to go poorly so the work was already scheduled for the day after the test. It's ok since it doesn't rain here in the summers and I KNOW they will be plugging up the leak under the door next week. As you can see from the photo on the left, the drywall has been installed. Now the guy we hired just have to finish with the spray texture this weekend. Then I will prime and paint the area.

Neighbor's new patio and door photos

2011-06-20T00:07:00.000-07:00

Here it is, a completely new patio above mine and the new doors. We are going to do a water test of it this week and finally, this drama will be over. See my previous post here for all the details leading up to it.This is stamped concrete, so it may look like real times, it is not.

Here's another shot.

The Patio is complete and Boogie boarding at WindnSea

2011-06-19T10:19:00.000-07:00

The work began on May 4 and FINALLY we are at the finish line. Several delays caused by my upstairs neighbor's indecisiveness and the contractor not managing the project appropriately have caused an estimated 2-3 week job turn into an almost 7 week job. There is one last step. He needs to paint the stucco they had to redo. Also, we need to do a true water test to make sure nothing leaks in. Then I can finally have the ceilings and walls that have been opened since Dec 23 put back in! Yes, you read correctly. I had a feeling I wouldn't have this resolved until the spring. And now, the summer is days away!

The french doors do look nice and I hope my neighbor thinks they are worth it. He paid for them after all. I did learn a lot from this process. I learned that you need to have patience. You also need to research the contractors that you hire more intensely. Our contractor did a good job, but it was very slow and he was never on site to manage when things went wrong. There were many hiccups on this job and if he was there co communicate with his workers many of the problems we had wouldn't have even happened.

I did pay for a subscription to Angie's List. J**** told me about this contractor rating/review web site and publication since he used it to hire contractors when he lived in Houston. I went to the web site to check it out. I saw that a 1 year membership cost $29. Then a few weeks later I get an email to get 40% off any membership. So I ended up getting a 2 year membership for $23 since I got another 20% off for using PayPal to as the payment method. Not bad!

In non-condo complaining news, Nirit and Elia are here again visiting from Phoenix. It has been 6 months since they were here last at Christmas. That was when my ceiling/wall leak issue started ironically. We went to WindnSea beach yesterday since they are staying at the Holiday Inn up in La Jolla. They could walk to this beach from the hotel!

I brought by boogie boards since that is one of Nirit and I's favorite things to do. Here is a video
you can see of us catching some waves. It was great and kind of scary at the same time. Nirit got pummeled on her second wave. So I taught her to keep the board close to her chest in order to not fall off when catching a wave. She got the hang of it.

And the Drama Continues with the Patio

2011-05-14T20:38:00.000-07:00

Oh, where should I start with this damn patio/door project? This is a very long post. I just need to document it all for my own sanity. The project began on May 4 on the patio above my unit. They had to basically demolish the patio and re-pour the concrete. The contractor told me he wasn't going to know if the door could be reused until they took it out (a few days into the project). Of course my neighbor DH (not using real name), who owns the unit above mine, said he would like to order French doors instead of a sliding door, if the door needed to be replaced. I told him that the association would only pay up to the $800 price we were quoted for the new door and he would have to cover the difference. He agreed.

Steve, the door subcontractor, told us the sliding door could be reused. So that was good news for our association as that reduced the bid to $8,100 from the original $8,900 price. I told DH that if he still wanted the French doors he would have to cover the entire cost (about $1,500). We also would need to get it approved by the rest of the board. He agreed and the board approved the new door. So I thought everything was fine...

Then mysteriously our laundry room sliding door was broken the next day! One of the double panes of glass broke (see photo to left). Someone must have deliberately done this as it is very difficult to break these types of doors. I asked Steve how much it would be to fix this and he said it would be as much as a new door, around $800. Hmmmm, I was skeptical but he told me that essentially it is the cost for a pane of glass that size, about $600 and then the labor to put it in. I have my suspicions about this and will see if I can get more quotes on just fixing the glass. I have called a few contractors and the same story. These doors are not cheap and basically you need to buy a new one.

Meanwhile, DH said he would be happy to sell his old patio door for $800 that he won't need since he is buying the new French doors. WHAT? He even said he was planning to sell it on Craigslist! I thought the doors were the property of the HOA since it is facing the outside? We previously were told all windows were part of the HOA. That is the exact reason why the HOA is fixing his door and patio. I confirmed with our management company that the HOA does indeed own the door.

I sent DH an email and CC'd everyone to communicate this. Then DH lashes back saying he is very upset that we won't pay him for the old door, considering that we didn't even offer to pay for the new French doors. He said we weren't being "good neighbors" and that when he was on the board tried to be reasonable with everyone's concerns. He said he was reconsidering ordering the French doors now. I reminded him that it was HIS DECISION to purchase the French doors even though the sliding door was perfectly fine to leave as is. I told him this in an email:

"Our rationale: Why should the HOA pay for a different door for your unit than one that is perfectly acceptable to use? Steve determined that it was fine to reuse, so that was the recommendation, but you decided to buy a completely new door. A door that was not necessary and you AGREED to pay for the full replacement of it. You took an opportunity to try to reduce your costs for the French doors at the HOA's expense. That is not neighborly at all or reasonable.

We are watching out for the bottom line of the HOA and taking the most cost effective means necessary. That means if you end up choosing not to reuse your door, we will take the existing slider door and use it for the laundry room, saving the association the $800 replacement cost.

If you had decided to not buy a new door we would have had to pay $800 for a new one in the laundry room. Yes, you are correct. But that isn't the situation at hand. The door is the property of the HOA. You have no right to it. We shouldn't be responsible to finance part of your new French doors by paying you back for the HOA's own property.

If Steve had recommended that the existing door needed to be replaced, then we would have had you pay the difference for the French doors. That isn't the case now though."

We ended up having a meeting that night with the full board and DH and it wasn't pretty. He knew he had no case against the HOA. After a rough start, he agreed to let us use the door that was rightfully ours. He proceeded to state that he was inconvenienced the project started when it did and that he would have preferred it started during his 2 week vacation on May 19. I told him upfront that the contractor was available to start May 4 or he would have taken another job. We had to get him when we did, otherwise, we would have been back to square one, searching for yet another bid. He then threw in that he is paying $500 for dog daycare due to the on-going construction and that the HOA should pay him for this inconvenience!! Then, the other board members blew up at him. I told him it's not the HOA's issue that he has to bring his dog to daycare. The other board member said "Oh, do you want to pay me because I was trying to sleep on my vacation during the construction noise?" He said that DH should have spoken up about the start date and I agree.

If DH had told me that he was going to have to pay for dog daycare and that was the reason why he wanted to start the project on his vacation, then I would have asked the contractor to move the date (if he even could). It doesn't matter. DH was just trying again to recoup money from the HOA. Pardon my French but FUCK THAT.

One other item was how the patio was going to be finished. We originally agreed it would be a standard finish to match the other patios. DH had tiles on top of his patio before the demolition. He said he called the HOA mgmt company and asked if he is allowed to have the tiles put back on. Our rep apparently told him he could even though at the last HOA meeting in March he agreed he would not put tiles back on the patio once they are taken off since that was a contributing factor to the water leak. It wasn't the main factor, but the contractors agreed that the tiles certainly didn't help with proper water drainage. Also, he supposedly did not use a licensed contractor to put the tiles on. He used his dad, according to the other board members.

In the end we agreed DH could get a custom concrete finish that is nicer than the standard gray. He can get spray texture or stamp concrete up until a certain budget that I worked out with the contractor. I just wanted to guarantee that he would not put tiles on there again. I need to look out for the overall HOA budget and my own property. Considering I have not had ceilings and walls near my patio doors since Dec 27, 2010, I DO NOT want a water leak every to happen again in my ceilings and walls.

The project should be complete within a week or so. They will get the door next week and do the final finish to the concrete. Supposedly one of the workers asked DH for guidance as to where to cut inside of his unit since they have to replace a sub-floor board due to all the water that came in and rotted a portion of it. They will have to dig up the floor and then replace a portion of it. Another big job but it was included in the contract price. Under no circumstances should a construction worker ask anyone but the lead contractor what to do. They have the specs. They should know what to do. They should NEVER take any guidance us.

This was the email I sent to the contractor to document my concerns:

Concerns:
Last night DH told me that one of your workers (Francisco?) asked him for guidance as to how far he should cut into the floor on the inside. This was detailed in our contract that you would "remove 2 feet of sub floor INSIDE the unit to replace a 2 foot by 6 foot section of 3/4 inch plywood due to having a rotted area which was inspected from the unit below."

I noticed only a 3 inch by 3-4 feet section of wood was placed there yesterday.

Francisco also had trouble putting the door back in temporarily and had to cut into the already finished waterproofing. He said to DH, "I hate to do this but it's the only way to get the door in." He then was going to cut into part of the door and Eric told him to stop and called me. I told DH to call Steve or you, or that Francisco should be calling you directly. I called Steve and he confirmed with me everything was under control with the door.

He also asked DH to get 2x4s and plastic to set up for today's work inside.

This is not acceptable. We should not be advising or directing any workers on this job. As the contractor we expect you to supervise your subcontractors and workers and have them make the right decisions to keep the job moving forward. We expect you to be more available and on site to manage the process properly.

I expect that the waterproofing is redone or fixed. If Francisco cut into it, then it has to be redone. We cannot take any shortcuts, especially on the waterproofing. If it was compromised in any way, then we are at risk for leaks in the future.

Next steps:

DH is placing the order for the French doors today with Steve. He is also meeting with Jason today to review the finish options for the patio (spray texture or stamp concrete). As a board we authorized this either method at our capped price point to advised you earlier.

The patio work will continue with flashing, sealant, etc until the door comes in next week. You will call DH and confirm anything that happened last night and find out from Francisco what was "cut". You will take care of the inside and mark the area that needs to be cut into to replace the subfloor. This will be done next week as well.

The contractor and I discussed this. I guess there were issues with getting the door back into place temporarily and some of the flashing that was installed was damaged. They are going to re-do this work. I just wanted to make sure no shortcuts were taken. It was all in the email and documented. After watching several HGTV shows about construction mistakes, horrific contractors who scam people, I didn't want to take any chances should we have to take legal action in the future.

Roof repairs complete, patio repair and a TV blog

2011-04-28T23:51:00.000-07:00

Just a short update since I have neglected the blog. I am thinking of starting another blog entirely, all about TV. I am working on a name for it and I will purchase a domain name so there is not ".blogspot" in the URL. It's a work in progress. I will have to really be dedicated to blogging if this TV blog is going to work out. I think I can commit the time and energy since I certainly watch enough TV. I not ashamed to admit I love watching TV. There is so much stigma sometimes. People don’t want to openly admit they watch TV or even certain shows. I have no shame. I embrace pop culture and it makes me happy. Just like some of my friends enjoy binge eating to make them happy, I enjoy TV! There, I said it!

So back to the roof. The repairs started April 14 and they were completed April 22. Total cost: $7,895. I had to call the project manager a few times to make sure they repaired all areas that I specified. As it turned out, if I did not call, they would have missed an entire section! You have to have trust. I cannot get up on the roof with them to make sure they are doing the repairs correctly. Well, my neighbor and I got on the roof to look at everything this past weekend. It was very scary getting up there. Going up the ladder was terrifying. My legs were wobbly and my heard was racing. One false move and I would have been dead. That is no joke. There is no easy way to get up there and this ladder did not feel secure.

The re-done patio and door repair will cost $8,855 total. We now may need to completely replace the sliding door. A door and window specialist who came with a contractor said this was the worst case scenario. It's going to be a big hit to our reserves but the condo management company who handles our finances said that we do not need to do a special assessment since we will still have enough minimum reserves left.

Of course we still need to pay out of the reserves for all of the walls and ceilings that need to be put back in. I will be so happy once it is all complete. I am so paranoid about the patio not being waterproofed correctly, but we are getting a 5-year warranty. I trust this contractor since he was referred by a trusted contractor of the condo management company. So we shall see. It's a shame all these repairs are happening now. If the board had kept up with things and were sensible and didn't take shortcuts, we wouldn't be in this situation now.

T

Almost there (quick update)

2011-04-12T23:45:00.000-07:00

The roof repairs are supposed to start tomorrow (April 13). I hope they do show up. They were supposed to start two days ago. Also, the roofers did put in a bid for the patio REPLACEMENT that was only $3500, compared to the other contractor who quoted $7800, over double the price. Yes, you read correctly. They will have to replace the patio and re-flash the sliding door, take it out, put it back in, etc, etc. It's a big job. They will have to take out all the concrete and even the plywood underneath it. Then after that job is done I can finally have my ceilings and walls put back in. I hope this all happens within the next month. I cant believe my walls and ceilings have been opened up since late December. I had a feeling back then that this was going to last well into the Spring and I was correct.

A Covered Patio

2011-03-24T09:21:00.000-07:00

As promised, here is the photo of the patio above mine that we have completely tarped off. We nailed it into the wood below the gutter and then pulled it all the way over. Since the only tarp I had was 8 ft x 10 ft, it was not going to be long enough, so I went down to Lowe's to get a 12 ft x 16 ft tarp. It is so much better. It rained last night and I had no issues! I am so glad I don't have to be paranoid anymore when it rains. Hopefully in the next month everything will be fixed. I doubt it, but one can hope. I think the patio fix and waterproofing/re-flashing of the door is going to be a very labor intensive project and it may take a while. I am scared to get the bid from the contractors on this one. Although our association has plenty of reserves, we will be taking big chunks out of it. The roof repairs alone will be $8,000 (possibly more). I can imagine this project would cost at least $2,000 to $3,000 but I really have no idea. I may have to call for a special assessment to recoup some of our funds, which I can only do once per year. The other board members will have to agree and then all 11 unit owners would pay a special fee. In the end I hope we won't have to do this, but if this condo building continues to have major issues, we may have no choice.

It bothers me that the developers of the condo are no longer in business. We would have been able to have them fix all these issues. I am sure we would have had a legal battle though. Like so many developers during the height of the housing market, the developers went under. They took many short cuts during the update of this building in 2005. It is very obvious. Things could be worse and at least we are taking care of things now.

Condo roof leak - a resolution is close!

2011-03-22T23:05:00.000-07:00

After almost 3 months of uncertainty, blaming, second guessing, frustration and sheer confusion, we have finally established that the water coming into my unit IS NOT the result of a leak in the roof. My suspicion that the patio tiles and door above my patio was the root cause was correct. On Mar 5, the Tile Consultant who we paid $200, came to do an inspection of the tiles on that patio. He also did a water test upon my suggestion and the suggestion of 3 other roofers. After he measured the tiles and took a bunch of photographs, we ended up doing the water test. We simply ran the hose over the tiles next to the door. Within minutes the water went under the door and into my neighbor unit. The water pooled up and then traveled down into the corner, right above where the leak is coming into my unit through the floorboards of my ceiling. So it was done.

Now the next issue was finding a vendor to fix this issue. Basically the door needs to be re-flashed, refitted and the patio needs to be waterproofed. So basically demolished and the concrete redone.

The following Wednesday (Mar 9) we had our yearly HOA meeting where all owners could attend. Well, only the board members showed up (4 of us). There were elections via ballots that were sent to all owners. I received the most votes so I got to become the new board president for the next 2 years. E***, my upstairs neighbor with the patio, didn't receive any votes so his position on the board was eliminated.

E*** continued to talk about how the roof had leaked in the past into his unit and how the water traveled down wall, blah, blah, blah. He wasn't focusing on the present or the future. He simply was denying the fact that he was PROVEN WRONG and that his patio door was the issue at hand. I finally erupted and told him, "What else do you need? We have the proof that IT IS NOT the roof so stop talking about the damn roof!" I was so frustrated and I said that I was sick of him not taking care of repairs and letting this slide for so long. I asked what has been going on the last 5 years. He has complained and had this water issue the last 5 years and NO ONE ever suspected that it was anything other than the roof? The FUCKING water has been collecting at the base of his door FOR THE LAST 5 YEARS! Not one single contractor ever suggested it was anything other than the roof?

I was pissed that E*** simply let things go over time. Then he yelled back at me saying that he had spend "$10,000 on his floors" and "do you think I like that my floors are ripped up in front of my patio?". So things calmed down eventually. I agreed to contact the contractors so they can fix the patio. I know this process is going to take months so that only means months more of not having walls or ceilings in front of my patio.

I ended up getting a tarp and taping it to the bottom of his patio door so no water would get in. It worked for the next storm. Then it didn't rain for a week. I didn't bother checking it again when the next storm rolled in this past weekend. Actually I called my neighbor to check to see if it was still on there and he said it was. I was dog sitting across town. So I wasn't too concerned.

Well, on Sunday night it POURED and that night E*** called me and said that water was coming into his place. I went up to the patio and noticed that they had taken PACKING TAPE and tried to tape it up before it rained. They had apparently walked on the tarp so the duct tape that I had spent 30 min securing a week ago was separated from the tarp, effectively making the tarp non-existent. HE said they taped it since they knew it was going to rain. I didn't even question why my duct tape was separated. It was obvious they were walking out on it and weren't taking care of it.

In the pouring rain, I did my best MacGyver attempt to prevent the water from coming in. I took some black trash bags and duct taped them to the glass, creating a tent almost so the water would not get near the base of the patio door. It sucked. I was soaked within minutes. But, in the end I was able to stop the water from coming back in. It was not a permanent solution. I told Eric that we would need to just completely tarp off his patio from above so it closes it completely off from any water. We can't tarp it from the bottom anymore (directly above the tiles). So today, with the help of another neighbor we were able to tarp it. I will take a photo tomorrow and post it. He loses his view, but that is the price you have to pay for not taking care of a problem immediately.

I think now I can finally breathe easier. It's ironic that when I first had the issue with my paint bubbling over my fireplace last December, the company who came in and cut out the drywall and dried the wood told me that the patio was the issue. They even tarped up the patio just as we did now. Back then, E*** refused to believe that the patio had anything to do with the leak. If we had kept it tarped this entire time I would have avoided a lot of aggravation and worrying.

Condo roof update - leaks continue indefinitely

2011-02-26T19:11:00.000-08:00

I have been very lazy to do a post, so on this rainy Saturday here we go. The repairs to the roof have yet to be done. I have been working with 2 additional roofers to get bids. I finally got a bid from one (San Diego Roofing), which was a lot less than the first vendor (Admiral) who gave us a bid in January. The other vendor (Mission Valley Roofing) has already been here to inspect (2 weeks ago) and has to come back to see another problem area we found. What I have learned with contractors is you have to constantly follow up with them or they will never call you back. You have to email, call, text, etc, over and over again. It is quite frustrating. I am finally making some headway.

I just want my walls and ceiling put back up. Right now you can still see the exposed wood and 2x4s, etc (see photos). It doesn't look very attractive. Last weekend it rained A LOT. I was worried that since we didn't tarp the one problem area of the roof, water would find its way in again. And it did. At least I was prepared and I put towels to collect the water and SAVE my floors. My bamboo floors have so far escaped any water damage. So last weekend when the rains stopped for a few hours on Sat I got up on the roof with my neighbors and we tarped the roof above my upstairs neighbor's balcony. I was happy we were able to do this. But the true test to see if this worked was going to be the next time it rained hard, which was last night (Feb 25) and this morning (Feb 26).

We got torrential last night that started in the middle of the night. I woke up at 4:19 am and went out into the living room. Water was leaking from the upstairs floor boards, hitting the ceiling and dripping down. I had already had towels and a trash bag over the towels and it's a good thing. There was a puddle of water on the trash bag. My bamboo floors were saved since I did this. Since my ceiling is exposed I was able to put towels and a small plastic container up in the ceiling to collect water. What I found interesting was the the water was just coming from the floor boards above. It WAS NOT traveling down the wall to the left of the sliding glass door (see photo above). The last time it rained it did that (last weekend), but since we tarped the roof it DID NOT do it again.

This fact led me to believe that the main culprit was the tile patio above my patio. All along, all roof contractors pointed to the fact that this patio had tiles on it and they believed it was causing the leaking issues into my unit. Although we have roof issues, they said they believed the reason why the water was leaking into my unit right along the glass doors was because the patio area in front of my upstairs neighbor's glass doors was collecting water.

Just to explain about the patios, most until have a base patio that does not have tile on it. You can see the gray in the photos of my unit. It's very basic. So people have installed tile ON TOP OF the existing patio floor. This creates a lot of problems if not properly installed. There has to be a moisture barrier underneath the tile and everything needs to be sealed correctly. I don't think this was done to the unit above mine. Now I think I have proof.

Today the rain stopped for a few hours so I taped some black trash bags together with black duck tape. I went onto my neighbor's patio upstairs (with his permission) and taped them against his glass doors. Then I put some clear plastic that I had in my garage from when I painted. I put rocks to hold everything down. It is sloped so the water should just run off it. At least I can prevent most of any more water that may come in. I hope. I really had to use a lot of problem solving and creative thinking. I even went and found rocks on the property to use as weights.

This is my makeshift way to prevent water from entering my unit

It will be several weeks before any roof work can begin. We still need to decide as a board which vendor to use and then sign contracts, etc. So once again, it will take some time. The good news is that rain is not in the forecast for at least the next 8-10 days.

One of the contractors said that we should water test the patio when it is dry to see if the water leaks into my unit. All we have to do is have a hose run on it for 15 min. If water leaks down then we know the patio is not properly sealed and is the cause of the leak! We have a board meeting on Mar 9, but I am going to suggest doing this next weekend when I know it will be dry. We may as well do this now when my walls are already taken out. I have nothing to lose.

A Blog from the Past: Feb, 27, 2000: my very first blog entry

2011-02-09T23:28:00.000-08:00

I was going to wait until Feb, 27, 2011 to post this "Blog from the Past", but on the drive home today, I really wanted to revisit this entry. It was the first ever "Thoughts" entry I had written. I called the portion of my overall website "Thoughts" where I divulged quite a bit of personal confessions. Usually they revolved around unsuccessful dating situations and the struggles of single life in my 20s. At the time I was 24 and very, very lonely. I had gone to a now-closed gay club in Cambridge, Mass called Manray on a Saturday night. I was surrounded by people yet I felt completely alone.

************************

February 27, 2000 - Last night I thought about posting a journal that would document my thoughts every now and then. I have my own written diary, but I thought adding this online would be another creative outlet for me.

For the first time in a while I decided to go to a dance club/bar. I really despise those places, but a couple of old friends were going and I really wanted to see them because it had been a while. It was great to see them again, but at the same time I couldn't believe I was there. I hadn't been to a club in over 2 years. I was so out of the loop. Needless to say, I had an awful time. I stayed a little over an hour and then left abruptly. I just couldn't handle it anymore.

I don't enjoy dancing in a mob of squished together people, so I could only dance with my friends for 15 minutes. I then went to sit in the lounge area. At that point an overwhelming feeling of sadness came over me. I asked myself what the hell I was doing there. I was in a room full of people and I felt like I was the only one there. I hadn't felt this sad in about 6 months. This was supposed to be a happy time for me. I am starting my new job Monday, and for once in my life I am finally getting things together. I guess the thing that really bothered me was seeing so many people on dates. It made me realize that I am alone, and have been alone for a while. I knew that being at this club was not the solution to my problem. It was just a blatant reminder of my ever-present state of loneliness.

A Blog from the Past - June 3, 2007: San Diego Rock n Roll Marathon

2011-01-23T20:39:00.000-08:00

I am going to try to post a "blog from the past" every week since I have about 10 years of blog entries to work with. This week's installment goes back to a very significant day in my marathon running history. June 3, 2007 was the day that I ran my fastest marathon at 2:57:41 and my 10th marathon overall. It was also the last marathon and significant race I have competed in. My stubborn hamstring injuries have plagued me for the last 3.5 years.

Actrually I did run the ASYMC Camp Pendleton 10K Mud Run on Oct 18, 2008 and placed 1st in the 30-34 age group (5th overall out of 1,300 runners). See the results here. I was very proud of that run considering I was running injured with my hamstrings not even 80 percent. Granted it wasn't a true road race, as we had to run up mountains, a lake and also and through mud and other obstacles, so our times were a lot slower than a normal 10K. Other than that one glorious race, I have not competed. Not even a 5K or 10K. I just don't feel I am up to par, so I continue to train and try to get my mileage up. I hope one day I will feel ready to compete again. Maybe it's pushing through the discomfort, but I don't want to make one injury worse and do permanent damage.

So here it is, in its entirety. I am posting this as a motivator so I can hopefully run one last marathon before I retire for good. Who knew I would be this washed up at 35? I started when I was 25 so I got 7 good years and 3 injured. I hope re-evaluating my shoes (Sir Isaac Newtons) and running technique, I can pull out another one.

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Rock N Roll San Diego Marathon - June 3, 2007

I'm at the finish of this historic race

Overcoming adversity is basically the theme of this marathon. I overcame a 2 injuries during what seemed like an endless 25-week training cycle - a half a year! I missed Boston Marathon in April due to recovering from tendonitis in February. Then in April I had a soft tissue tear in my arch tendon. I didn't think a marathon this year was possible. I was wrong.

Well, the 10th time is certainly a charm. On the day of my 10th marathon I was able to pull out yet another sub-3:00 marathon effort, this time at a 6:47 minute per mile pace. Other stats: 110th place out of 15,958 people and 20th place in the 30-34 age group out of 1,358.

I just kept relaxed throughout the entire race and focused on calm thoughts. I kept repeating in my head "stay in this state" and "focus on now." It really helped. The first few miles were standard. I tried not to go out too fast. I was at 6:42 at the first mile and 13:30 at mile 2. I don't remember much about the next few miles. We headed downtown and I really didn't like this part of the course. It smelled like a dumpster and was just not appealing. As I passed by the 10K mark (6.2 miles) I got this sense of dread. I had 20 more miles. Was I going to be able to keep up the intensity? I actually had a thought of just dropping out. Then I realized how ridiculous that was. I knew I could pull out at least a sub-3:10 effort if I really wanted to. So I kept on.

Mile 7.5 began the 2.5 mile climb up Highway 163. It was strange being able to run on the highway. I knew about this hill from my 2004 race. I knew it was going to be tough, but it was early enough in the race that I only slowed about 10 seconds per mile. My mileage watch said I was doing 7:20s mostly. I knew at the top I had to step it up. I had taken a Cliff Shot Block at the start that had caffeine in it. I think that gave me a little surge.

At mile 10 the San Diego Front Runners had their water stop. It was great. They announced my name on the microphone as I ran by. I felt great for the next 7 miles. I knew I had to put in a good solid chunk in the middle of this marathon to have any chance of a sub-3. So I glided down to mile 11 - all downhill. It was great. I felt relaxed. Then I got to the half marathon 13.1 miles at 1:27:14. I knew that I had some time in the bank. I could run the second half in 1:33 or so and be right around 3:00. I saw this guy Myles who had been running with me at the start but I let him pull ahead. I asked him what he was trying to maintain. He said 6:40 pace. So I kept with him for a few miles and around mile 15 I surged ahead. I still felt pretty good. I was totally zoning out. I was in a groove. It felt effortless at some portions. I tried to just keep my pace around 6:45 or so.

My boss Rich and co-workers Heidi and Charity were right after mile 16. They had a large sign with "Go Anthony" and my face blown up on it. I was so surprised. It was great. I then got the bottle of Gatorade I had asked for. After mile 17 I took another Cliff Shot Block. I wanted to do it around 2:00 or so but decided earlier. I knew I had 9.2 left. I did slow here. I was not feeling great, but not bad. I knew I just wanted to get to 20 miles and then re-evaluate my options for breaking 3:00.

Now we were in the Crown Point area of Pacific Beach. I took my e-Gel Electrolyte Energy gel around 18.5 miles. I saw someone who worked at SDRI (the running store I frequent) and he gave me a bottle of water to wash it down with. I ate half and waited to get to 20 miles before ingesting the other half. I saw the clock, it was 2:14 or so. I knew I had 46:00 to run the last 10K (6.2 miles). I knew in my mind that I could do that if I did not have any major cramping. At that point it was a hill since we crossed a bridge. I really pushed hard up it, as I was not going to slow for any reason. I heard a guy next to me grunting in pain as we ran up. I yelled "Come on, let's do this" to him. I kept on. I kept on pushing and pushing. I wanted it. I knew I could do it. Still, I had doubts though.

As I passed mile 21 I saw Trevor (a pacer) who was waiting for the 3:00 pace group to arrive. He looked anxious for the group to come. Then he yelled out to me, "You are way ahead of the 3:00 group, keep it up!" That was cool and I felt pumped. My confidence soared. As I arrived at mile 22 I told myself I have a Khoury's Run left in me. Khoury's was a 4.13 mile run my old running group Somerville Road Runners did every Thursday night starting and ending in front of this small pub called Khoury's in Somerville, Mass. I saw that the clock read 2:28 so that meant I had 32:00 to run 4.2 finish in under 3 hours. I knew I could easily do that.
I upped my pace in the next mile and made it to mile 23 around 2:35 or so. I now had 25:00 to do 3.2 miles - a piece of cake, right? Then, all of sudden, I got a small twinge in my right calf muscle. SHIT! It was a small cramp though. I slowed slightly and told myself that I was not going to cramp up until AFTER it was over. I drank extra water. I got through that scare and was at mile 24 at 2:42 or so. I knew I had 18:00 to do the last 2.2 - that would very easy. I just kept pushing and pushing. I got to mile 25 at around 2:49:50 or so.

I knew I had it in the bag as long as the cramping did not start up again. There was 1.2 left and I had 10:10 to do it. I could surely do that. As soon as I made the final left turn into the front gates of the Marine Corps Recruit Depot I knew I only had less than a half mile left. I pushed as hard as I could. I was in so much pain. My hip flexors were burning as well as my calves. My lungs were burning as well. Still, I did not feel dizzy, which was great - a sign I was well hydrated. I heard the announcer's voice in the distance. I was so close! Then I saw a guy cramping up big time. He was hobbling his way with the help of his friend. I felt so bad. It could have been me.

I didn't even look at my watch at this point. I didn't want to know what the time on the clock said. I knew I was going to break 3 hours, but by how much? Finally, during the last straightaway, I glanced at my watch and it said 2:55 and change. I knew I could feasibly finish in under 2:58. I just sprinted. All out sprinted. I was ecstatic. As I passed the 26-mile mark, the last .2 miles were a complete blur. I did not notice anyone around me. I had a narrow vision to the clock. 2:56:30, 2:56:50, 2:57:20...tick, tick tick... At last, I ran through with both hands raised up high and smiled into the camera. I was well aware they were cameras up above the finish banner so I struck a decent pose. Then it was over. Was it really over?

In my excitement I tried to do a cartwheel unsuccessfully and fell to the ground scratching both my palms in the process. Still, I was excited. This guy Dennis from Front Runners was right there as I crossed. He said that I would be on the front page of the GL Times. I laughed. I didn't even expect to see him right at the finish as one of the volunteers.

After my breakup over a month ago, I think I gained extra motivation to focus on my running. I did this marathon for myself. I wanted it so bad. I'm glad I was able to run a PR after the struggles I had this year. I couldn't be happier. And this is why I continue to do this. I can't let go of the high of running a great race. I have no regrets about this one, that's for sure.

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Running and Sir Isaac Newton running shoes

2011-01-22T08:13:00.000-08:00

If you asked me 3 months ago what I would be doing right now, on a Saturday at quarter to 8 in the morning, I probably would have told you I was getting ready to head out on a 16 mile run. Well, I am sitting in bed writing about how I AM NOT doing that and how I still am not ready to do any sort of long-ish runs. I haven't done above 8 miles in months. My hamstrings continue to give me problems. At least my lower back aches are gone now. I have seriously been evaluating if I should continue with long distance running. I yearn to play tennis competitively again and have contemplated joining a few tennis clubs and leagues.

I still don't want to give up and just last night had a dream about the Boston Marathon. In the dream I was at the finish line waiting for myself to finish. It was as if I was in two bodies at once, as a spectator and as a runner. It kept switching back and forth. Then I saw the time on the clock (3:45:00) and it was well past when I should have finished. I woke up not feeling to great.

I think my continued issues may have to do with the shoe I am using. I decided to splurge and try the experimental technology of the Sir Isaac Newton running shoes. Basically these shoes were designed to force you to run more on your forefoot and less on your heels. They attempt to mimic barefoot running, which is all the craze now in preventing injury. Newtons were built exclusively to allow a natural running gait. Here is a more technical explanation from their web site regarding their Action/Reaction Technology™:

When your midfoot/forefoot LANDS on the ground, the technology's four external actuator lugs are pressed into hollow chambers inside the shoe's midsole via an elastic membrane (ACTION). This movement absorbs shock.

As you LEVER inside the shoe, the lugs release their stored energy and propel you forward through a burst of energetic return (REACTION) from the Action/Reaction Technology™. You then LIFT your knee and begin a new stride.

Well I am still not sure spending the $148 every 3 months for this shoe is worth it just yet. I have been using them for over 6 months now. I have noticed slight changes, but not always positive. I actually have noticed I have more pain in my metatarsals in my right foot. Maybe because I land more heavily on my right side. That would explain why I have hamstring issues on my right leg. Do right handed people land more heavily on their right side? I wonder if studies have been done on this. Anyway, I will give them another chance. I do like that they are much lighter and I feel myself propelling forward while I run.

Condo repair status

2011-01-18T22:07:00.000-08:00

January seems to be flying by. The weather here in San Diego has been glorious these past few weeks. After a lot of rain over the holidays, January is shaping up to be the best one yet since I have lived here. We have had highs in the 70s and with sunny skies and dry conditions. I am so grateful to live here now, especially when I see that the northeast continues to get pounded by snow and ice. I know that I would be miserable if I still lived there.

As for the condo, I still don’t have walls in sections of living room due to the leak and the drywall that was taken out back on Dec 27. We have received one bid for a repair and replacement option that was way too expensive. Replacing it would be absolutely ridiculous, so for now we are going to go the repair route. The second vendor is supposed to send his bid in a few days. Then we can get that repair done and then put back up the drywall that was taken out. There are 3 other units that need drywall repair, so our reserves are certainly going to take a hit after all of this.

Since I am now on the board, I proposed that every unit owner may need to pay a one-time assessment fee of $500 to $700 so we can replenish some of the reserves we are going to take out to pay for all these repairs. I am annoyed that the owners let things deteriorate so much over the years. No one thought of having routine maintenance on the roof and building. I was up on that roof myself and there were tons of leaves and other debris that were blocking drains, etc. It should be cleaned on a regular basis. It should be inspected on a regular basis. I know that the other unit owners will not want to pay an assessment, but it may be necessary. According to our HOA bylaws, we have to carry a certain balance in the reserve. We will see what happens.

I did receive good news from the California Franchise Tax Board though. I applied for part of the $100 million that is to be allocated in tax credits to first time home buyers in California. Since I closed on my condo between May 1, 2010 and Jan 1, 2011, I qualified to receive $10,000 over the course of 3 years. I applied and received the confirmation letter that I received the credit the other week. So I will receive $3,333 as a tax return once I complete my state taxes. This money will come in handy for condo related projects (new windows, more furniture and art work), especially any assessments I may have to pay related to the roof repairs. Being a homeowner is not predictable nor easy, but I am trying to learn as much as I can as I go along.

I've even done a few Do-It-Yourself projects at home to save money. I first fixed my disposal about a month ago. It was jammed. So I went to Lowe's and bought a $7 tool that loosens the blades if anything is stuck in there. I also repaired my kitchen light that would "sometimes" turn on. This has been an issue since I moved in last July. I thought it was the bulbs at first, but I replaced them and it still had issues. Then I went to Lowe's and bought a replacement switch. The woman who happened to be in the isle and seemed like a lighting expert, told me that it may be the ballast. I had no idea what that was, but it is the electronic box that holds all the circuits, etc. They didn't have any at the store to power the size of my light, but I found one online. When I got it, I turned off the electricity, took out the old one, put in the new one and it is working fine now. I basically saved myself $150 by not calling an electrician to do this for me.

Gabrielle Giffords shooting and health care

2011-01-09T23:53:00.000-08:00

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords

Yesterday I was horrified to find out that Democratic congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was shot at a routine congressional event in her district. I normally don't like to write about political events, but I felt it was necessary to document something like this.

When I read the news online I immediately turned on CNN. I first was trying to figure out just how bad the shooting was. I didn't see the initial reports that said Giffords died, but then I saw other news that she was in surgery. A bullet had gone completely through her head! Miraculously she is alive and responsive to commands. The doctors are very optimistic about her recovery. The dead included a 9-year old girl. John Roll, chief judge of the U.S. District Court of Arizona, and Gabe Zimmerman, Gifford's director of community outreach.

The violence in this country is ridiculous and unnecessary. Obviously this was politically motivated since Giffords voted for health care reform and other progressive issues in a very Republican state. The shooter, Jared Lee Loughner, killed 6 people in all and supposedly has ties to anti-Semitic and immigration groups. Supposedly there is a 50-something white guy involved too. It doesn't surprise me at all that Loughner didn't act alone. How could a 22-year old orchestrate something like this? It upsets me that at normal political events we will now have to be extra cautious for crazed shooters. I often attend political events like gay rallies and other speeches. Do I have to wear a bulletproof vest now? What is happening to our country?

Arizona is a hot spot for many politically divisive issues including the controversial illegal immigration law passed last year that lets police officers detain anyone they suspect being in the country illegally. Hispanics are a big target of this law. If you don't have immigration documents on you it is considered a crime. Also, in 2008 AZ voters banned gay marriage by a margin of 62 percent. What?! It guess it truly sucks to be gay or Hispanic in AZ and I feel for my gay friends in AZ like Nirit who have to deal with all those ignorant, uncultured people.

It appears Sarah Palin, her supporters and the Tea Party movement have inadvertently fueled this fire for the attacks. I had no idea Palin had posted this map (on the left) back in March of last year. She specifically named Giffords as one of the lawmakers she wanted unseated in the November mid-term elections. According to CBS news, the map features crosshairs images to show the Democratic districts she targeted. She even wrote on Twitter, "Don't Retreat, Instead - RELOAD!"

What the fuck is wrong with people? We are at war with each other in this country. Democrats against Republicans. It's almost like a civil war really. Just take the Democratic parts of the East Coast, the West and small sections of the Midwest and pit those sections against the entire South and the rest of the Midwest.

I'm glad we have health care reform. Our country needed it. So many people are uninsured (over 46 million) and many lives become ruined after unexpected medical emergencies. These poor people are forever burdened with debt, all because this country can't figure out how to finance a comprehensive public health care system. I would be happy to pay more in taxes so that every American can be covered with a policy. For some reason Republicans believe universal heath care will bankrupt America. I would really like to hear another alternative. It comes down to selfishness. They just don't want to give anything away and help people in need. I am outraged that the Republicans want to repeal the health care law. It's not going to happen.

Resolutions for 2011

2011-01-04T00:26:00.000-08:00

Ever since I started a blog in February of 2000, I have posted New Year's resolutions. I went to see what my 2010 ones were, but I noticed I DID NOT post any! I must have been so miserable living in Orange County that I just forgot or didn't even care! Now that I am back in San Diego I am motivated and much happier. I even blog more often.

San Diego's Embarcadero is beautiful. Photo by ME!

Looking back on the last year, I achieved many goals. These were goals that I didn’t even set at the beginning of the year. The most significant achievement of the year has to be my job change. As time went on in 2009 I became more and more miserable living up in Orange County. San Diego was my home and had a special place in my heart as I had lived there since 2004. I had tremendous separation anxiety. I missed my friends and also missed the openness of many parts of the city including my favorite neighborhoods like Hillcrest, North Park and University Heights. I missed my gays!

Orange County is certainly not the hot spot for gays. I really missed just having a community in close proximity. LA was over 50 miles away and San Diego was 90 miles. I was in the middle of nowhere from my standpoint and felt very isolated. Granted, Newport Beach and Laguna Beach are very beautiful places with lush landscapes and beaches. I even lived on Balboa Island in Newport Beach for a time from May – Oct in 2009. Then I moved to Costa Mesa in October of 2009 and my experience in Orange County went downhill from there. Unfortunately much of OC is segregated by race and income and Costa Mesa certainly was the case. It actually should be a case study for racial segregation. I chose a neighborhood that I thought was going to be diverse, but it wasn’t and I felt very out of place. There were mostly lower income families surrounding me, with a few young people in their 20s and 30s here and there. Too many kids, too much noise and too much ghetto-ness. Just not my scene.

OC is simply not as mixed as many neighborhoods in San Diego. For instance, in University Heights where I live now, there are families, single gay and straight people, coupled straights, coupled gays, blacks, whites, Hispanic/Latinos, Asians, etc. There are apartment buildings next to cute Craftsman and Spanish style bungelows. There are Ethiopian restaurants next to Mexican restaurants next to Asian bistros next to Persian cafes next to hair salons next to antique shops. I am very happy to be back to my digs and feel at home.

As for the job itself, I started my search in February 2010. I had a lease at my Costa Mesa apartment until May 31, so I gave myself that deadline to find a job. If I needed to start a job before that date I would just pay double rent. Obviously that wasn’t an ideal situation. Well, after some interviews starting in early April through May, the last day of my lease (May 31) came and went and I did not have a job offer yet. June became the month of even more interviews and I got closer and closer to my “Escape from OC”.

Finally, on June 30, I received an offer to start a part-time contract job as a marketing specialist with a tech company about 15 miles north of San Diego. I immediately gave my notice at my then employer in Irvine the same day. A few weeks later on the second day of that contract job, I got another offer for a permanent full-time job, which I accepted. It all worked out in the end and I got a decent raise in salary and health benefits.

The other major goal I achieved in 2010 was the purchase of my first condo. Ironically it closed the same day I received the job offer (June 30)! The stars were certainly aligned that day. Since I had to move and the market was so good for home buyers, I just went for it. Being located in a different county had its challenges with the bank approvals, but I was still able to get the loan approved. The property I bought was a short sale and a very lengthy real estate transaction. The entire process took almost 5 months with my original offer submitted on February 8. It was worth it as I qualified for the First Time Homebuyer's tax credit, which I received in November. It's nice to have the extra cash for home improvements and to add as a cushion.

So 2010 wasn't a bad year at all. I got my life back in San Diego that I missed dearly. I got my motivation back in general. As for running, I still struggle with it and my hamstring injury, but my lower back no longer aches when I run. I am hoping I can do a marathon in 2011, but it's simply not a priority anymore. I can still do shorter races. Running will always be in my life, but I just don't know in what capacity. I actually miss tennis a lot lately. I may try to join the Balboa Tennis Club for $200 per year. It's a good deal and it will motivate me to play. I just worry about getting too competitive again. When I was in high school and college I was really mentally burnt out from all the matches I had to play. I put a lot of pressure on myself, always strategizing and thinking.

heater devices in my unit

On Christmas Eve I saw the paint bubbling above my fireplace. Well it turned out there is leak coming from the patio above mine and possibly the roof. The company that manages our HOA had a restoration company come in and they had to take out part of the wall, insulation and ceiling! The source of the leak is not very easy to find and I have been on the phone and meeting with roofers and other contractors for the past week. Since I am on the HOA board now, I called a meeting so we can review repair bids, etc. It's a good thing that we have plenty of money in reserves, but this is all new territory for me.

I may run for HOA president. There's only 4 people on the board including myself. It would make sense since the current president seems to be too busy to deal with the day-to-day issues that come up. Since I want to know everything that goes on with our property and actually care, I am a perfect fit. The other board members are supportive of me becoming president. We'll see how this meeting goes in a few days.

I am the type of person who gets things done. I am direct and I take action. The current president does none of that. He is the one who lives above me with the potentially faulty patio tiles that cause water to come down into my unit. Actually the sliding doors had water in them during the last rain. He said for the past 5 years water has collected there and in the corner INSIDE HIS UNIT! It BAFFLES me as to why he hasn't taken action on this, knowing it causes problems below his unit and within his own. He seems to not want to deal with it. He seems like the type of person who is too busy to care about a minor detail like water leaks.

Back to my 2011 resolutions. Here they are.

1. Run at least 3 races in 2011. I can't commit to a full marathon but will certainly try to fit one in as one of my races.

2. Take a Spanish class at a community college. I may take one this January. I really want to learn the language again and it will help me in my career.

3. Help Jason get a job down in San Diego. Now that he is in the same state, I would love to help him get a job down here. I need to network on his behalf.

4. Read at least 4 books. I am really bad about reading now. I read tons of blogs and magazines but really would like to read more novels.

5. Start a monthly gay movie night. I want to entertain people at my condo and also get a group together to watch fun gay-themed movies.

A Blog from the Past - Sept 22, 2001

2010-12-26T00:03:00.000-08:00

Well, since Nirit had mentioned she recalls my blog entry about Ewan McGregor, I was so curious about what I actually had written. I vaguely remember writing that entry, but knew it was at least 9-10 years ago. His movie Moulin Rouge! came out in 2001 so that narrowed it down and I found the archive file. I had completely forgot that I saw it on an airplane to San Francisco from Boston (when I lived there still), just a few short weeks after 9/11.

Wow, just reading my perspective back then compared to now is fascinating. I was much more open and confessional. I guess I had nothing to hide, nothing to protect and didn't worry about people finding the blog online. Blogs weren't even called blogs then. The comparisons of the Anthony of 2001 to the Anthony of 2010 are so interesting. Back then, I also was so unhappy with my career and job. I felt it in my core. I was at pivotal moment in my life. If I had decided to follow my passions back then, who knows where I would be today? So here it is, in its entirety. I think I will start posting old entries every now and then and reanalyze myself. Enjoy!

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Dreamy Ewan McGregor

Sept 22, 2001- Well I made it to San Fran safe and sound. It did take an hour to even get my boarding pass. I cut in front of someone not paying attention rather than going to the end of the endless line. I got to the damn airport at 7AM and there were a shitload of people there. I was amazed. I had no idea there would be so many that early on a Sat morning. The security check was yet another long line but it only took 15 min to get through. There were armed military people at the metal detectors. What a change. The flight went ok. I wasn't the nervous at all really.

On the plane though, I started to get all emotional inside. They showed the movie "Moulin Rouge!" Anyway, I was half paying attention but certain parts reminded me of the absence of love in my life. Ewan McGregor sang love songs and it just really made me feel sad inside. I feel like I'm missing out on so much. There is a part of me inside that wants to love so much but I can't. I'm left with emotions inside me that go absolutely nowhere. I don't have anyone to love. I'm not even searching for it. I'm not even trying. Why should I try though? Shouldn't it just happen like magic - like in the movies? I'm too idealistic. I want my love life to develop just like it does in Hollywood. Or sometimes I feel I'm too realistic. I'm both? It's a problem.

In the beginning of the movie, Ewan McGregor said he did not know what it was like to be in love. He reminded me of myself and the past statements I have made. He did an exceptional job in this movie. I never realized just how attractive he was (or what a great voice he had - if that was him really singing). I guess he looks a lot better with darker hair. There was something about his eyes that captivated me. I found myself just waiting for the close ups. I found myself just waiting for him to sing another love song and I imagined he was singing those songs to me. I was imaging that there was someone out there for me to love. I imagined that love was not dead in my life. It just really affected me. I actually almost started to cry.

Then I thought about my professional life. I thought about my job and where it was going. I thought about how I have been increasingly frustrated at work. I haven't been the happiest, but this job has opened many more doors for me. I have gained a lot of skills but I'm not sure it's what I wanted to do. It's the best post-college job I have had so far, but I don't feel passionate. I need something to drive me. I FEEL passionate about music. I want music to be a part of my life somehow. I want to learn how to play music and write music. I have been practicing on my guitar now for a month or so. I have learned a lot on my own and will be taking private lessons in less than 2 weeks. I've started the process. I know I'll never put out a CD. All I want to do is play my favorite songs and also maybe write some. That's a long way away, but like all things it takes time.

For a job that involves music I was thinking I could do some marketing/PR for some small record labels or artists. It's something I would feel passionate about. It's something that won't pay much at all but maybe it's what I need right now. I need passion and it's lacking. I need to feel validated in the workplace. I am feeling more like an outsider at work. The feeling is increasing everyday. I feel pressure. I feel I'm looked down upon. That's why my manager quit - she felt she never got enough credit and was taken for granted. I feel I'm filling her shoes. I have to stop this before it gets out of control. It's not bad now. Don't get me wrong. I think I perceive things differently than they actually are. I need to work on that. Something is off. I think it boils down to my passion for the job itself. It's somewhat dying.

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Christmas and my birthday

2010-12-25T23:31:00.000-08:00

So I have been nagging my friend Nirit to write a blog entry, while I have yet to write my own since Dec 12. The goal was both of us were going to write one on the same day, today, on Christmas. I really enjoy reading her entries, as she tends to write in a similar, confessional tone. I especially enjoyed reading hers today as I felt she wrote it from the core.

Nathan's Red Velvet brownies made their debut!

Nirit and her sister Elia are visiting from Phoenix. They haven't been here in 3.5 years so it's a treat to spend Christmas with them. Today we went to see the movie "I Love You Phillip Morris" with Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor. It was really good, but really sad and really funny in other parts. Ewan is my ultimate physical type. I love his very Scottish looks with the freckles and the reddish/blond hair. In this movie he looked golden almost. *Sigh* They definitely added highlights to his hair.

I had never really been into Ewan until I saw the movie "Moulin Rouge". In that movie he was singing and dancing and had dyed black hair. I guess I just developed my crush back then. Nirit told me today she remembers an old blog entry of mine where I describe that I pretended that he was singing to me instead of Nicole Kidman in the film.

I love my red velvet cake!

The 35th birthday party I threw last weekend for myself went really well. I was really worried there was going to be too many people in the condo. Some people didn't show up, but for the most part everyone who RSVP'd came. I think there were about 30 people at one point, but some people were talking outside so they all weren't in my place at one time. It was nice to finally have people over when most of it was in an acceptable condition. I still need new carpet in the bedrooms and a dresser and end tables, but I am relatively happy.

Although after all the rain we have had in the past week (6 straight days of rain), there is now some leaking along the wall above my fireplace. That really stresses me out. I have no control over the situation and it just really upsets me. I am worried it will cost thousands of dollars. What if the dry wall is ruined? What if there is moisture inside somewhere I can't see? Ugggh, I am trying not to obsess but since it's a holiday weekend it won't be resolved until next week most likely.

Back to the party, Jason got me a delicious red velvet cake. We got it at a local bakery/coffee house called Twiggs. I also made red velvet cupcakes from scratch along with cream cheese frosting. Upon my request my friend Nathan made red velvet brownies! They were so good. He had been experimenting for weeks and finally felt the recipe was ready. He was supposed to ship them to me Fed Ex 3-day so it wouldn't cost a fortune, but he had no access to a kitchen to bake them until 2 days before the party, so $70 later, I got them delivered to my office on the Friday before the party. I was shocked they cost that much to ship and felt bad Nathan had to spend the money. Well, it was for a good cause and everyone ate them up. I had no leftovers for that dish!

Holiday Birthday party

2010-12-12T22:29:00.000-08:00

I am determined to write more posts in December than I did in November! I did make more of an effort in Nov, but I really need to work on it. I have ideas in my head and then I am too lazy or tired. Excuses.

Wow, so I posted around Thanksgiving that I was sick. Well, the cold or whatever I had took a little over 2 weeks to completely go away. I cannot recall a cold that has ever lasted that long. Going running during this stretch of time probably didn't help matters, but I felt ok to run. Now I finally feel healthy again. I am still blowing my nose occasionally but it is very minor. And at least it's clear in its color.

Nathan's Red Velvet Brownies

My 35th birthday is coming up on Dec 20. I really don't like these 30-something birthdays. I used to think 30 is old. Now 35?? I decided to throw myself a holiday/bday party. I have 28 RSVPs so far. I have no clue how I will fit everyone into my 800 sq ft condo. I hope people come and go. Then it will be manageable. My friend Nathan Noland is a pastry chef from NYC, and upon my request, he is mailing me red velvet brownies for my party. Since there is such a red velvet cake and cup cake craze right now, I wanted to have something different. Although I am actually going to make green velvet cupcakes (I just bought the food coloring today!), this will be a nice addition to all the other sweets. I am asking people to bring cupcakes to exchange with one another. It's a Cupcake Exchange. So far I only have 4 people who signed up on that for the Evite.

Due to my severe cold, I didn't run as much as I had planned to. I have decided NOT to run the Carlsbad Marathon on January 23. It's too soon to me to be ready to run that kind of distance. I have only done a few 8-milers in the past month. I really should be up to 16, 17 miles by now. Anyway, the marathon has sold out so I couldn't do it even if I wanted to. Then I could do the Los Angeles Marathon on March 20. Still, it presents a logistical issue in that I would have to find a place to stay in LA or deal with getting a hotel, parking, etc, etc. So... it looks like I will aim for the San Diego Rock n Roll Marathon on June 5 next year. It will give me time to get my ass in gear. Why rush it?

I still debate the logic of running another marathon. I have done 10 so far and have achieved my marathon running goals. At my advanced age, it seems very difficult to get my body in the kind of shape I need to be in order to beat by fastest time of 2:57 (set in 2007). I am at peace with this. I will try to run that fast, but my hamstrings still ache on every run. At least my lower back is not an issue any longer, thanks to a better seat at work. I will see how the next few months go. I am not committing to anything. I will base train, do a few 10, 12 milers until early Feb. That is when I need to decide if I will start a more formalized training program.

This past weekend I worked 2 catering events. I really didn't want to since I had 2 parties of my own I wanted to attend on Saturday night. Still, the logical, money-conscious (CHEAP) Anthony decided he wanted to have some extra money for household purchases. One event was a surprise birthday at the club house of a very expensive housing community in Rancho Santa Fe, a suburban area of San Diego County. I had never really been to that area before. I will never have that much money. The homes were simply amazing, on tops of steep hills. I actually heard coyote howl during the night. The other event was this afternoon at this huge mansion located on the La Jolla Shores cliffs. I only worked about 4 hours. It was a holiday party for the La Jolla Democratic Club.