Marathon weekend!

The week has variously flown by and dragged!  It's now Friday and I have the day off as I am driving down to Monterey (only two and a half hours south so not very far) to prepare for the marathon i.e. go to the expo and pick up my bib etc (and book myself on the 5am bus to the start line).  Will then just wander around Monterey enjoying being beside the sea and maybe off to the Aquarium.  I've staying in a lovely hotel too so can also enjoy the delights of TV, room service and lounging around (it's fair to say I don't skimp on these things).  I'll also take some pics so post as well.
Over the last week Henri has been staying - well last weekend and this, Irene, Lotte and Henri spent the week in Santa Cruz.  Here's some shots Irene took with her swanky camera.

......see how my life is?
Work, cripes, full on.  I've been on the edge of the comms stuff for a while, but now I own it and still have my other job.  Of course it's in my comfort zone but still alot to do and getting my head back to that space is a bit of a journey.  Got my performance review.....happy!  Next is laddering where everyone in the company gets ranked - me within my project then within my "practice".  Be interesting to see how that all turns out.  I'm really just focusing on getting the job done right now (well I say that because I'm good with how my reviews have come out this year).
Last weekend Irene and I started going to open homes.  Houses ranged from 600k to 1.1m.....most interesting to see what you get for your money and, more importantly, the strange architectural and design decisions people make.  In that price range all the houses need "something".  Most seem to have committed to bathroom and kitchen renovations then the quality varies. Anyway, just the beginning to give us a sense of the market and we have to go see the mortgage broker - we have a general idea of what we can get but need to get pre.approval so we can start getting really serious.

New role, same client and out socializing

This week took an unexpected and rapid turn as I took on a new role on my project (well more correctly added a role!).  The person who was doing the role unexpectedly left and.....yeah you got it, guess who has comms experience?  I got asked to step into it "in the interim".  I have to say taking on the comms role doesn't exactly rock my world (although there is alot to take on) but I am the logical person to do it (given it also has to be ramped up quickly it's also my bread and butter world).  I've still got my other role (at least for now) so juggling two jobs.  Oh well, never said I joined A. for an easy life did I.
Also went out to some fab SF haunts this week.  Tuesday off to the Monks Kettle which has the largest beer selection I've ever seen.  Funky, humming place, jam packed with trendy and not so trendy folk.

Wednesday was a work dinner and drinks.  Excellent fun.  First up was the Wexley, which is billed as a BBQ joint....yeah, not like BBQ I've been to.  Totally up market and delightful, how does "fancy" scotch eggs followed by Bass on pulled pork sound????  Cool decor too (don't go looking for me in this photo, it's from their website.  Check out the roof, they have this cool "sculpture" thing going on.  After the Wexley it was off to Rick House Bar.  I liked this place, it was like being in a barn.
For reasons that escape me "we" ordered the Gold Fish Bowl.....kind of odd but very drinkable!  Anyway, predictable late night followed by an early morning.  I am very glad to have hit Friday, although did have to commute down to Sunnyvale (although in the end could have stayed in SF as none of the rest of the team were there!

US Tax

oook, it's that time of year.  On the most basic level I am entirely freaked out by numbers; tax, money - so the U.S taxation system is beyond freaky.  I have no problems with the notion of tax, actually think it's a good thing. Would very much like the proceeds of it to go to worthy causes (but that's a different story).  But yep, on balance, happy to pay, love to pay, willing to pay.....but it's really really confusing here.
Seriously if, on my very best day, I could stumble through the NZ system then the U.S tax system is worse than a worse thing.  Bless Michelle who put me on to her accountant!  In the scheme of things my tax is actually quite simple (by US standards).  But there is state tax and there is federal tax and then I'm subject to the Terrorism Act (omg, yes, seriously), which means any offshore funds I have have to be declared to the dime in the event that I am funding some terrorist plot. Now I'm not being flippant, because we know that actually happens.....but when you are me, who barely keeps track of her bank account (but has become much more vigilant of late), when your accountant says "TRA", umm yeah, I'm taking notice.  Of course the NZ system doesn't much care about all that......for them I am not tax resident - although according to my ex.NZ tax consultant the NZ system can't quite switch off the endless letters.......seriously.....although nothing for this year.....wow been gone four, how hard is it?
So it's tax time - I'm all good, apart from the fact I find it all very confusing, totally trust my accountant and seriously wonder how 'non-english' speaking folk navigate the system!

A weekend of.....

"not much at all" has arrived.  I'm kind of delighted at the prospect as I feel really tired and a little rundown.  My cold is lingering but didn't stop me running 23 miles last Sunday....it's a loooooong way.  Nice though as I ran up and over the Golden Gate Bridge.  It's totally awesome to run over the bridge, the views are gorgeous and it feels so....American and San Franciscan!  I still delight in those days when I actually remember I live here.  In September it will be five years since I left NZ and I still feel like making the leap has been one of the best decisions I ever made.  It's definitely not easy to throw your life up in the air like that but I've had (and been having) some incredible experiences and feel like I've really started to come into my own. Speaking of....
Irene and I have hooked up with some real estate agents and have started the process of looking to buy a house.  We are aiming for a two flat property - combining forces means we get something more for our money.  If we can't find a joint one I'll look for something smaller - looking at the market I can buy alone but not quite as grand.  As always, the right thing will happen and it will all fall into place as it is meant to.
Fun plans ahead too.  Jo is busy planning her birthday next year (yuh it's a big one) and is planning a get together at Lake Como in northern Italy (near Milano). Totally gorgeous and I've never been to northern Italy.  Plans are well underway and rooms booked, yippee!  Shocking to think it will have been 10 years or maybe a little less since her last big birthday celebration where we all headed to Rangitoto Island for a picnic on the mountain top!  Is it totally odd that I am immediately wondering if I can combine the whole thing with running a marathon some place in Europe?  And just like that I googled....Madrid this year ran a marathon the weekend before Jo's birthday, and I've never been to Madrid (see how this works?).

Hobbit

One more for interest.......giant glass of "Hong Kong Lemon Ice Tea"......quite yum!

Rumor is....

The lack of photos is making my blog very boring........

Today, Bernal Heights (where's Lotte?).  Pop it out and look for the red brick buildings, that's about where I live. Bernal offers totally awesome views of the city (spectacular sunsets too).  Only a 4 mile return trip from home (some times I run here).  Today it was over the top windy, reminded me of Wellington (and exactly what I don't miss about that!).
Week was mad, crazy busy.  Work full on, drinks with Melissa (worked with her on my last Cisco account) at this crazy little wine bar, in an old cottage in Palo Alto, on Tuesday.....cottage all original and like arriving in someone's batch.....no sign of renovations either.  Wednesday client drinks....omg so fab when they organize, left the office at 4pm. Drinks and nibbles in a little bar in Mountain View (the home of Google).....then off to a very fun wine bar in Dogpatch (near home) for drinks with Kayley.  Tuesday & Thursday up at 5am to run.  Enough to say that by Friday I was beside myself with tired!
Best discovery of the weekend.  Big Sur Marathon is coming up, I booked my accommodation last year at this nice hotel in Monterey (where the Aquarium is that I've talked about before).  Turns out I booked for both the Friday and Saturday night......yippee, lovely indulgence as I also decided to take the Friday off (race is Sunday) so I could be all relaxed.  Now I can drive down Friday afternoon, chill out, go pick up my race packet Saturday and be all ready to run Sunday......schweet!

Ho hum

Work is crazy busy......so busy that I got up twice last week to go running at 5am.......I'm also checking out whether or not that is an exercise regime I can actually live with.  Actually it was a very lovely time of day to run - but by midmorning I was feeling a little tired.  I've also managed to succumb to the cold everyone else has had, although packed myself with chinese herbs so hopefully it comes and goes quickly!
I did manage to catch up with Zoe at a cute lil wine bar she found that is on our commute home, so easy to swing off the freeway and park.  She's in good form and doing some rather impressive politicking. Still lots going on with Don't Ask Don't Tell and she was, of course, catching me up on all the Cisco news.
Being ill and having to work long intense hours is dull and has me feeling very dull.  I'm lying on the daybed in the sun as I type, which is very nice, but also looking out the window thinking it would be lovely to go running.....although clearly not a good idea, unless I plan to keep this cold!