Bright Lights and Thanksgiving

Have had the most fab thanksgiving break. Managed to finish work around 1pm Wednesday (that in itself was a small miracle) and Marcia, Michelle and I headed to San Fran.  Took the scenic route up the coast and stopped at this very cool eatery that was a little like an old tavern. Marcia had to go to a meeting so Michelle and I hung out in a coffee shop surfing the net and generally being idyll (nice).  Had a quiet night in then headed to Mary and Rubys (two in the left of the photo). They own this really cute wooden three story house (two floors are self contained units) and even have a cute little garden.  Anyway we spent five hours cooking various things laughing and chatting.  It was really lovely, I excelled in dishes, not really being one to do much cooking and clearly surrounded

 by folks who knew what they were doing.  Afterwards we sat around playing scabble and generally having a nice time.  

Slept late the next day (we were staying at Marcia's friends house in Fruitvale, near Oakland) and Michelle and I watched a DVD while Marcia went out and did stuff.  We headed back to Mary and Ruby's for leftovers then hit the road for Santa Cruz.

During December a park off the 880 sets up this amazing light display for Xmas so we swung off the freeway, got in line and proceeded to drive around the park checking stuff out.  The funniest thing of all was that they give out these 3-D glasses and when you look through them you see either dinosaur heads framing everything or flying angels; once we realized we were beside our selves with hysteria.  Michelle and I wore them all the way home - best trip I've had on the 17 yet.

Family come this week and I am about as organized as I am likely to get.  It will be lovely to see everyone.  Although it's a little cooler the weather has been pretty good, some rain but it doesn't hang around for long....Wellington's rainy, windy winters are long forgotten, rain remains a novelty. 

Unexpected guests and Thanks Giving

Had an unexpected visitor over the weekend. Sim happened to be in San Fran so she drove through on Friday and we hung out through Saturday. Sim was a pal back in the Auckland days. It was fun, haven't seen her in over two years. She's been working in Madison but this is the first time we've been in touch. We ended up going to a great local restaurant (2mins from my house) called the Drunk Monkey. Kind of Asian Fusion food - very pleasant. Saturday we met Michelle and Marcia for breakfast at another local haunt. We then walked the beach and strolled into town.
Sunday I did some shopping and then went to Marcia and Michelle's for a BBQ....easy to tell they are back in town, my social life has picked up considerably.
I've had several work dinners which have been fun but make for a long day as they are inevitably in San Jose.
Thursday is Thanks Giving and Ruby has invited me (well I slid in on the M&M invite) to come up to San Fran for Thanks Giving dinner. We are going to head up Wednesday and hangout until Friday. Going to stay in Oakland. I haven't been to SF for quite a while so should be fun.

It Takes Balls To Be A Woman

You see, sometimes country music ain't all "Standby your man".

Seriously funny

Well I liked it, made me laugh. It's a little dark (a lot dark) but British humour at its best!

Life under an, almost, Obama Govt

Well it's fair to say I am, mostly, surrounded by folks who are desperately excited and relieved that Obama won.  I'm also surrounded by some who are hugely impacted (dare I say humbled) by the change in their economic fortunes.  My pick is this, Obama will spend much of the next four years navigating the economic times...he will, most likely, do okay.  Come the next election most will be sympathetic that much of his social agenda got stalled....and give him another chance.  But then, perhaps, that is my natural optimism.  Either way politically it's a fantastic time to be living here.

On a more mundane level work remains the dominant thing in my life.  Not a bad thing as I am enjoying some quite lovely and unexpected moments.  I have a team of nine and that brings its challenges as they are, without exception, smart, engaging, clever and challenging.  The theory of managing a high performing team and then actually having one - well, it keeps me honest. I've developed (I think) an honest and supportive relationship with my new boss.  On a lovely note I've also kept in touch with my old boss.  At this stage, despite the economic times, I don't think I am about to lose my job and, if I do, I will survive it.   I don't take anything for granted nor feel complacent - when you have job you can't worry about not having a job, just do a good job (or the best you can) and then roll with whatever happens.  

I have done a little socializing.  Stepping back into my other world.  Went to a friends beach house for dinner and wine tasting on Saturday night....very nice and a mix of funny, entertaining and engaging folk.  Stayed over and it would have been even lovelier if I hadn't got a 730am work call that had me race back home to sit in front of my computer for 6hrs.  Oh well, I guess it's what I choose to do!

Plans for the family visit are finalized and tickets for Xmas booked - all of which is making me very happy!

Obama : 'All things are possible'

BOO! Halloween has come and gone

Halloween (or at least the day before) proved to be quite a cultural moment.  I work in an open plan office where desks are not assigned so you can sit anywhere.  We do have neighbourhoods that group different teams together.  On the week of Halloween there was a competition to decorate our work areas.  People went all out (well Cisco is a pretty competitive environment). We had mummies and zombies and a whole graveyard set up inside a blackended room (even had an ipod playing spooky music and white ice for the judging!).  If that wasn't enough at 1pm when everyone could go and look at what people had done all these folks arrived on our floor from around the building dressed up in Halloween outfits....some of them were amazing.  I found the whole thing hugely funny, Halloween is all about the grown ups.  On the actual night it rained so I didn't go downtown - stayed inside snuggled up and warm.

My MacBook Pro has arrived so I have been having fun figuring out how to use all the different cool things.  It's quite intuitive although very different to use compared to windows.  Now I have split my mind between by work laptop and the Mac!

Last week was a huge week at work.  I am not sure why but it seemed that every time I turned around there was mini crisis going on.  It made for a very long week and I was relieved to have Friday roll around.  

Last weekend I did have a little adventure.  Moss Beach Distillery is at Half Moon Bay and has an interesting history.  During Prohibition the bootleggers used to land on the beach below the distillery to unload.  The Distillery owner always managed to get a few barrels!  Rumour has it that the Distillery is also haunted by The Blue Lady - short, long story of lost love and death, the story has been featured on Unsolved Mysteries.  I went up to check it out as a place I could take the family to (okay also an excuse to do a good ride on the bike).  I had a great time.  Sat out on the patio looking across the sea, ate crab cakes and drunk lemonade (no beer, figured that wasn't a good idea before riding home).  It was fun and definitely a lunch venue for the family.

Oh if you think the election is a done deal, check it out.