A Complete Life

Let's Think Positive!

I've been giving a lot of thought to 'being positive' recently.

Now, I've always thought of myself as a positive person. And people have always called me a true optimist. However, I'm prone to worry, self-doubt, procrastination, fear...all things that are normal, but, frankly, frustrating because they keep me from performing at my best.

At the same time, I look at others that I admire, who consistently perform better and achieve more when they're in high-stress situations: and I see that thinking positive is what gets them there. We all know stories of people who suceed despite all adversity, just because they never doubted they'd get there. So, what's the difference between us?

I realized that a happy nature (which I have), optimism (which I have) and idealism (which I also have), are different than being positive. Being positive is looking at the glass half full rather than half empty. It's focusing on what I have accomplished and could potentially accomplish rather than what could potentially go wrong.

So, I've decided. Let's give this "positive thinking" a try. I'm going to expunge all negativity from my life. Not all realism, just all negativity. No more worry, no more fear or doubt, just more positive visualization. I've even signed up for an improv class to help myself get there. I'm guessing it won't be easy, but the possibility of unlocking my potential makes it completely worth it!

P.S. If anyone's got any positive thinking tips or resources, I'd love to see them!

Why Didn't I Think of That?

Last night, thanks to my friend Jessica Wan, who performed during the night, I discovered Ghetto Gourmet. It's basically a nomadic dinner party. It moves from house to art-space to loft to club cooking gourmet meals that anyone can join. It's an informal gathering of friends: coffee tables are assembled, we sit on pillows on the ground, dishes and silverware come from IKEA, volunteers play sous-chef to the culinary artists, and we bring our own wine.

It's almost like we're long-time friends...except we've never met. And that's the beauty of it. Jeremy (the organizer) welcomed us like we were friends, the dinner was set up like we were friends...pretty soon, we made a bunch of new friends!

We enjoyed great food together, from the pea-bacon flan to the berry crumble, and enjoyed a variety of entertainment: comedy, music, dance. OK, so the entertainment was variable, but at least we were all in it together.

I'll be going back: maybe even to volunteer in the kitchen: cooking next to a REAL chef would be a grand experience. Maybe Ted and I will even do our own versions on the concept. I wonder how another dinner-entertainment experience, SupperClub SF, compares.

Lime Makes a Party!

Last night, for Girls' Night Out, we chose Lime Restaurant. Partially 'cause the pink lights inside looked like fun, partially because it's right across the street from my apartment!

What great fun! Apart from a short wait for our table, it was a flawless experience! We got a great booth in a quiet nook. It was such a fun menu! Homey classics like deviled eggs and grilled cheese sandwiches, to the less "All-American" but super-yummy choices like Tuna Poke. We all went around and named our favorites. Our waitress was super-thoughtful and helped us decide how many orders of each item we'd need to go around for all 9 of us.

And then the party started rolling!

One thing about small plates and groups is that they just keep coming, and coming, and coming. With a regular restaurant setup, you talk until your meal comes, then the table goes silent as you eat. No way, here! We were laughing, passing the plates, and sharing like crazy! Fluid conversation, lots of interaction, and tons of fun!

At a place like this, you might expect more flash than substance: but all the food was super yummy. The zucchini frites, thinner than a shoelace, were perfectly crunchy yet healthy. The tuna poke was perfectly seasoned. The ricotta gnocchi suitably decadent. But it was the desserts that were the most fun! We ordered little mini red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting: they come four to a plate. How cute!

Before we knew it, we'd spent 3 hours there. For only $25-30/person, including drinks. What a deal! We were stuffed! If I ever get a chance to plan a catered party, I've learned: it's going to be small plates, not sit-down. Fun food for a fun party: keeps the smiles going!

In the same vein, check out Callahan Catering: they make mini burgers the size of a quarter, tiny little cotton candy cones, and more!

The David Allen Project

This weekend, I did it. I finally did it. I gave into my boyfriend and boss, and got on the David Allen, "Getting Things Done" bandwagon. I spent the weekend collecting, sorting and organizing all aspects of my work and life. Now I've got a system to get all the tiny little thoughts and errands out of my head, so I can really concentrate on the big, fun, meaningful things I'm doing.

I've got to admit, in kindof a nerdy way, it was fun to spend a weekend getting everything in order. It's immensely gratifying to have a clean room and clean office. And, even worse, I'm in love with my new automatic labeler! Help, help, what's happening to me!

The end goal of all of this isn't to be superstar organized. It's to help me get more, meaningful things done, and really be able to focus on the task at hand. It's too early to tell, but.....it's lookin' good!

Eating Kettlecorn in Livermore

This weekend, a couple of us spent a little time in the "vacation spot next door" called Livermore. Ryan was nice enough to invite us over to see his gorgeous new house (mansion!) and partake of the Livermore Wine Festival.

After a few tastes, I felt like a dog on a lazy sunny afternoon. A sunny Saturday afternoon, miles away from the bustle of the city, in a courtyard next to a soothing water fountain. In one hand, a glass of sweet Thomas Coyne merlot rose. In the other, a handful of warm, fresh, just-roasted kettle corn with just the right amount of salt, butter and sweet caramel crunch to match perfectly with the wine.

With all my cares melted away by the sunshine and wine, a strong shoulder to lean on, and friends to be completely carefree around, how could it get any better?!

Free Chocolate for Me!

I've found my favorite new "afternoon break" spot from work. It's called Fog City News, and it's only 2 sunny blocks from my office.

They're a magazine (widest selection in Northern California), card and chocolate (largest selection in SF) store. Plus, they have a great collection of vintage soda's and other goodies. It was the selection of chocolates that drew me in, of course!

They had the widest arrangement of cigarettes displayed behind the counter, but they were displayed so well, there wasn't the tracest feeling of "ewwww, ashy". They were tempting even to my supremely anti-smoking self, if only for the beauty of the packaging. They were lined up beautifully like premium beers at a bar. (Do they even line up the premium beers at a bar?)

Yet with all the thought put into the place, it wasn't TOO much. It felt OK to knock something over by mistake: in fact, someone did knock over a chocolate display. The owner laughed it off, said "It happens all the time."

The staff was super-friendly and down to earth, and we chatted about their chocolates. They even had a chocolatier giving out samples of truffles: thus the title of this entry. I couldn't help but feel how much more welcome I felt here than at Bittersweet. Aaah, how the mighty have fallen.

If you want to check it out, Fog City News is at 1st and Market.

My Future Self

This evening, I did a guided visualization of my future self. No, I didn't visit a commune or go to a psychic. It was part of the Women's Leadership Development Program put on by Future Women Leaders.

It's been a great program so far, distinguishing 'management' from 'leadership', looking at our own strengths and weaknesses, exploring values and setting goals based on them. Plus, meeting and connecting with 16 women with promising futures is so exciting!

This evening, we unlocked our unconscious selves by visualizing our lives 20 years in the future. New-Agey, but I gave it a fair shot, and actually learned a lot. I surprised myself by visualizing a peaceful house in the suburbs, not the high-powered urban penthouse on Park Ave or Fifth that I'd always dreamed of. But then again, these things aren't always literal.

What really touched me about my future self was the feeling of warmth, comfort, openness and peace that pervaded her life. The neighborhood was safe, there were children playing outside, and her door was unlocked. When I entered, I knew this was a house that saw many guests, and a woman who knew how to make someone feel special, and at home. Scary thought, but the place felt like a cross between Martha Stewart's clean, classy style and Food Network Paula Dean's southern warmth and charm!

What does this mean for me? I suppose interpretations can vary. But today, I learned that:

1. I thrive on making others feel warm, welcome and delighted.
2. I've got it all inside of me to make this life happen. I just need to focus on #1.

(#2 is a big deal for a someone who takes the Whitney Houston's "I'm every woman" to heart.)

Hopefully I don't let life distract me. Wish me luck!