Good quote for a bad day.

“Everything we shut our eyes to, everything we run away from, everything we deny, denigrate or despise, serves to defeat us in the end. What seems nasty, painful, evil, can become a source of beauty, joy, and strength, if faced with an open mind.”

Henry Miller
American Writer (1891-1980)

Alzheimer's FTL

Over the course of the last decade, my mom has watched Alzheimer's disease take its course and rob her of her best friend. My grandma is in the final degenerative stage, so my mom and dad are back in Michigan this week. Along with saying goodbye to her mom, she must also silently face the frightening probablility of succumbing to the same memory-robbing situation, as the disease tends to be genetic.

My grandma cannot talk, swallow or perform basic motor skills anymore. It's a sad reminder that people spout off about repeatedly: be grateful for the people you care about. Live in the now, rather than 'when I have time.' Make the time. Say out it loud, today, tell them how much they mean to you.

...

We share our green-a-rific, sustainable (LEED-certified gold I might add) office building with Group Health. My office has many modern aesthetics and I really enjoy te space.

Today, I finally managed to remember my covert-operation goal of sneaking my camera phone into the bathroom in order to snap the picture below.

Note that:
a) some still need instrutions to flush a toilet properly (or is to remember at all?)
b) observation that the Sloan company produces water-saving flush options
c) observation that Sloan has officially endoctrinated the term "Number 2" in bathrooms across the nation as an alternate to "solid waste"
d) confirmation you need to flush 'down' for that option

Asian-Americans in Leadership Roles

"Asian Americans currently occupy 1.5 percent of corporate board seats among Fortune 500 companies, up from 1.2 percent in 2005, according to the 2007 Corporate Board Report Card by the Committee of 100, an Asian-American corporate-advocacy organization." - Diversity Inc.

Full & entertaining Weekend w/ Jeremy in-town

Friday:
Work from home
Dinner w/ the Fab 5 @ the BDH (Barbie Dream House) aka Sara's new casa
Met up w/ friends @ Ruth Chris downtown

Saturday:
Morning run
Massage appointment
Lunch & shopping @ Kent Station
Dinner @ Icon Grill
Shopping
Met up w/friends @ O'Asian
2 a.m. snack @ Sea Garden Restaurant

Sunday:
Lunch in Bellevue
Back to the Airport :(
Clean house/run errands for parent's trip
Late-afternoon long-run around Kent
Do nails & read

Observations: March 8th

7:15 a.m. on I-5 North:
Woman in maroon Suburban smoking with the windows up

Until 10 a.m.:
Jamba Juice stores nationwide handing out free "granola toppers" that contain 40+ grams of sugar (daily reccomended value is 60g) as part of their 21-day breakfast challenge promotion.

Noon:
Found a handy "100 Ways to Cut 100 Calories" table, subdivided by breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack or dining out.

Super Weekend

Friday::
Ran about 4 miles around rural Kent at sunset. Mixed terrain of pavement, grass and gravel. Temp was high 40s. Minimal soreness the next day, runner's high to the max upon finishing the run.

Saturday::
Shopping spree... finally found a nice store that sells 00 Petite pants. No more unintentional sagging of dress pants/city shorts like I'm a thug or something ;P.
Came home and made roasted parmesean balsalmic cauliflower and grilled chicken breasts for parents for dinner.

Sunday::
Brunch w/ my C+F alums. Talked shop, caught up on gossip, figured out how to extract one of them from the abyss of the agency that's left. Eggs benedict was solid; lemony hollandaise sauce and none-too-greasy homefries. Met up with Tiff at the end of the day for coffee.. again more catching up and saw a heavy hail storm out the cafe window.

...And Monday started off @ our new Microsoft office in Downtown (Westlake/Lake Union area) this morning and a breeze of a drive. What more can I ask for :) ?

Ponder

The limits of the mind are often mistaken to be the limits of the world.
-Immanuel Kant

Seattle "Springtime"

This is my last spring in Seattle for the forseeable future. I'm taking advantage of my last weeks here with early morning runs around the neighboorhood and attending as many M's games as possible. Man I will miss my Mariners down in SoCal!! The Chargers might be able to fill the large absence of Ichiro, Yuniesky and others...but I highly doubt it. Wednesday's night was icy cold but very awesome. Marco (GRCC & FASA alum/homie) and I went to the game and scored very close, row 33, seats on the 3rd base line. Seeing Jose Lopez hit the 3-run BOMB in the bottom of the 5th was crazy, the stadium was loud w/ cheering.