Time goes by

Here we are at the end of 2009, and I can't really believe it! I've been on forced vacation for the past few days and my time really has filled up quickly with errands and such. It's pretty amazing that time can move so slowly while at work and go so quickly when you don't really have specific things to do!

Happy new year, Internets!

Fat cat, indeed

My belly is protruding disgustingly over my waistband after a very decadent dinner with Bullet Tosser and her boyfriend. They were kind enough to drive down to Quincy, MA, where I'm staying for the night and we checked out a very packed restaurant called The Fat Cat.

It was fun catching up and hearing about their upcoming move back to Philly. And we stuffed ourselves with fries and other unhealthy, tasty dishes. I tried the lobster mac & cheese, which had five or six different cheeses, a ton of garlic, generous amounts of lobster and a tomato slice or two. The dish was ginormous and I couldn't finish the entire thing!

Dinner was so much fun, and I'm sad that I have to go back to SF after a mere 24 hours on the East Coast.

In-flight entertainment

Somehow, I ended up in the fancy part of Virgin America's economy cabin where all the movies, food and drink were free! I only realized what was going on when my neighbor, a lanky teenager who didn't mind sprawling out annoyingly into the seats on either side of him, ordered some food and didn't swipe a credit card.

So, I enjoyed The Time Traveler's Wife and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. I also took advantage of getting some bottles of iced tea and a chicken wrap. I considered getting some liquor and a bagel and stuffing them into my backpack, but my silly pride got in the way.

In addition to the freebies, I enjoyed our flight attendant, who seemed very focused on making her voice sound as sexy as possible each time she made an announcement.

To grandmother's house we go

I brought the kitties back from their grandparents' home today and, despite their loud protestations, they're adjusting back to life in the city. I met up with Blanca, who's in town from Hawaii, Mattress, Roommates A&J, had a few drinks and returned home to play with the cats. I'm totes boring but I enjoyed my mom's succulent wreath!

Kitty yule logs

The cats and I traveled to my parents' home yesterday and they've spent the past 24 hours creeping about, being inquisitive and exploring their new surroundings. One of their favorite new hangouts seems to be the fireplace. This isn't something I'm happy about.

Kissy kissy

Someone has hung mistletoe all around San Francisco in random spots: street corners, awnings, etc. I've noticed a few bunches in my 'hood and some even in other areas of the city! Cute.

Don't talk to me

For whatever reason, all these random strangers felt compelled to talk to me yesterday. It began at brunch, when an older gentleman with a chihuahua in his purse joined the conversation that Puppy and I were having. Completely uninvited. He told us about his BlackBerry, bing.com, Anna Nicole Smith and dead people. I tried not to engage him, but he just didn't give up.

And on the muni, some seemingly homeless dude started telling me about the time he turned around on a crowded train and knocked an old lady down with his backpack. Fortunately, the train was so crowded that she didn't actually fall down.

I'm not sure what it is, but I guess people just want to chat with me lately.

I didn't eat for three days so I could be lovely

Another show I dove into during my sicky time on the couch is Skins, a gritty UK show about today's youth. My love for teen-centric television is quite well-documented, so it should come as no surprise that I'm enjoying this import immensely!

It's kind of like they took Gossip Girl and stirred it up with the movie Kids. The actors are all pretty great, there's a generous amount of swearing and some (not entirely) gratuitous nudity. Parents and teachers have questionable morals. There's a ton of drinking and a whole lot of drug use and sex everywhere. Clearly, this isn't a show that would work in the puritanical US. It's really clever, smart and doesn't hold any punches.

One of my favorite characters is Cassie, the broken girl with anorexia, who reminds me of a young Billie Piper.

58 years before the fall

One benefit to being sick is catching up on my TV-type shows and other media. Yesterday, after I was nearly caught up on my DVR-draining, I turned to On Demand to see what else was available. Caprica!

I haven't quite finished Battlestar Galactica (one more season to go), but I thought I'd check out the pilot for its prequel. And oh. My. Gods! I really think I love this show already.

It has some of the same philosophical/religious angst of Battlestar, but I love that there's family drama and teenagers! And it was really creepy-cool to see the birth of the cylons. Great stuff!

Also, Esai Morales - nice job on the skin care regime!

Couched

It's been approximately 41 hours since I've been outside and most of that time I've spent lying down. Being sick is no fun.

I hate having to use my precious time off for sick days and it's especially upsetting that I don't feel well enough to do anything productive. Fortunately, I seem to be near the end of this pestilence.

I'm bluffin' with my muffin

You guys, Lady Gaga puts on a pretty amazing show!

Last night I met up with Mattress, Beetle, Roommates A&J, Mahogany Sparkle, Lucy Ricardo and a few others to see Ms. Gaga's second San Francisco show. The venue was pretty intimate - in fact, I was there last week serving lunch to the city's homeless - and it was packed.

There were tons of kids in crazy costumes, some pretty fantastic, but most pretty tragic. Others, who looked like their little girlfriends dragged them to the show, were in pretty boring outfits and many were dressed in-between. As for myself, Mahogany Sparkle described my outfit as "lumber-jill," which seemed kind of appropriate.

As much as I enjoy Lady Gaga's songs, I'm by no means her biggest fan. After last night's show, however, I think I may be a convert. In addition to her crazy costumes and fun choreography, she has a remarkably good voice, as evidenced by her a capella moments that reminded me of Tori Amos (I think it was the piano.).

And by the end of her two-hour set, we were all frantically jumping up and down, screaming the lyrics to "Bad Romance" along with the entire audience - acting crazy and loving every second. Definitely a great performance - one of the best shows I've attended!

Trading in Louboutins for Timberlands

What is it about nature and small towns that connote morals, values and soul?

For whatever reason (okay, Kristin Chenoweth and some men-folk), I scheduled my DVR to record 12 Men of Christmas, a Lifetime Movie Network original, a few weeks ago. And last night, I finally got around to watching (the beginning of) it.

The premise is not new. Kristin plays a tough-as-nails, crazy-ambitious, sophisticated executive of some sort in New York City. New York, as depicted in this movie, represents a lifestyle that affords you an unusually enormous kitchen, a spacious apartment, beautiful shoes and clothing, but a morally ambiguous fiance. It also represents spending Christmas alone on the couch, watching movies from a simpler time while eating a tub of Chinese food with one's dog. Clearly, New York means unhappiness.

Lo and behold! Kristin trades in her fast-paced lifestyle for a new career in a simple Montana town. It's a quaint town which - gasp! - doesn't have a Starbucks, Kinko's or Gap within a 10-mile radius! Kristin struggles to adapt, her six-inch heels sinking into the mud as she makes her way around a local bake sale in support of a search-and-rescue squad that's in dire need of money (although it has an abundance of handsome, well-physiqued men).

I haven't finished the movie, but I assume Kristin comes to appreciate a simpler lifestyle and finds love with the particularly handsome, but irascible gentleman on the search-and-rescue squad. I presume it's the same theme as Meet the Morgans, New in Town and a million other movies that have filled Lifetime's prime time schedule.

I get the appeal of this trope, but I question it's core premise: that you can't have a fulfilling lifestyle if you're a city-dweller. I'm obviously biased, but I do feel like I've made real, human connections in the city and I have a feeling I might go crazy if I were surrounded by the simple dolts these movies portray as native to small-town America.

In any case, it's great to see Anna Chlumsky getting work these days.

Muni workout

On the muni this afternoon, I stood next to a lean fellow in a coral pink thermal shirt that was a bit too long for him, making it appear almost like he had a tunic on over his jeans. In his left ear, he had the most hideous earring. It looked like 100% cubic zirconia and it was about the size of a dime.

He kept flashing constipated faces at all the other passengers, methinks to suggest his gangsta thug life, causing me to take a step or two away from him. And as we pulled out of one station, he grabbed the overhead bar, did three pull-ups, returned to the ground and continued making tough-guy faces.

Holiday shop talk

Last night was Puppy's annual department holiday dinner, again hosted by one of his firm's partners at an historic San Francisco mansion. Contrary to last year, the mood was decidedly more festive and there was no football game on television to distract everyone.

More members of the department were able to make the dinner this year, and I wasn't meeting most of them for the first time, so it wasn't quite as awkward as last year. Plus, there were very delicious little lobster puff appetizers that apparently are sold at Costco!

Dinner, like last year, was very delicious and everyone spent time bagging on absent attorneys, former colleagues and opposing counsel. Mostly, I just tried to remain polite and awake (It's been a busy week!) and appreciative of the selection of desserts.

I opted for a nice fruit tart, but in retrospect, I probably would have enjoyed the traditional Swedish princess cake much more.

Pizza party

The economy! It seems to have taken a mighty tumble! Last night was Law-Mart's annual holiday party and I attended as Puppy's guest, just like last year. But unlike last year's decadent feast, this year the party was downgraded to a nearby eatery that served Italian finger foods (i.e., a variety of pizzas).

Also unlike last year, the wait to get a drink was very short, which was a welcome change, but made me wonder just how many people had lost their jobs in the past 12 months.

No matter, the toned-down party made for a more intimate and casual affair, which is much more to my taste. Plus, they served these fried cheesey risotto balls that were simply divine!

Lunch lady

Yesterday, the departments on my floor got together and volunteered at Project Homeless Connect, serving lunches to the homeless who depend on this service. I'd never volunteered for this event, and I was impressed by its scale. At the venue, the city's homeless could get a meal, shop for groceries, visit with a dentist, go to the DMV, get a massage, set up a bank account, receive foot care and partake in many other services.

Our group was responsible for taking orders and serving meals in the "cafe." I approached several clients, offered them a choice of turkey or vegetarian sandwich (almost no one wanted the vegetarian), a cookie, a bottle of water, and a choice between an orange or banana (banana was the overwhelming favorite). I then collected the food and served the client whose order I took.

We completely outnumbered the sit-down lunchers, so I was placed on take-out duty, where I essentially took orders from the line of clients and handed them a bag with the contents they requested. We were also supposed to monitor for those who tried to get more than their alloted share, but it was tough since the pace was pretty quick and I have a very hard time saying no to people in need.

It was interesting to see the mix of homeless in San Francisco. The stereotypical crazies were definitely represented, but there were also an alarming number of young people who clearly had fallen on hard times. For some, it was their first time at the event and they were visibly embarrassed to be accepting help. Others seemed to make the most of the experience and were quite engaging. One gentleman, for example, danced up to me and demanded "lobster from Maine, Dom Perignon and caviar!" Sadly, I only had a turkey or vegetarian sandwich to offer.

Obviously, these events always help put things in perspective. They remind us of all that we have and how lucky we are in our abundance. And furthermore, it was a great opportunity to spend time with co-workers from other departments in a non-work setting and get to know them a little bit better.

Would you rather...

... wake up in the middle of the night to find Freddy Krueger stalking about your house, all creepy-like and murderous?

OR

... wake up in the middle of the night to find Meg Ryan on your kitchen floor, munching fancy feast out of your cat's bowl?

Both present pretty upsetting scenarios, no?

Thai team bonding

One of our teammates is in town from the other side of the country, so we planned a department "strategy" offsite for today. Essentially, we went to the Sunset this morning, shopped for Asiany foods at the grocery store and went to a Thai lady's home to learn to cook some dishes.

We started out by making summer rolls, which was probably the most difficult dish we attempted. The rolls themselves aren't terribly hard to make, but getting the rice paper sheets the right consistency so that they roll up without breaking was pretty tough! In the end, it didn't matter that much because it all tasted good.

Next up was pad thai, which was pretty easy, probably because all the ingredients were measured out for us on our little golden dishes. Each of us had an individual cooking station so we could compare notes and make sure we were all doing things properly. I also learned that if a restaurant's pad thai is too red, it probably means they're using ketchup. Who knew?

Finally, we made some eggplant and shrimp in green curry, which was probably the easiest and best dish. Somehow, I think I'll have a hard time recreating it at home without our instructor's special homemade curry paste.

I don't know what "strategy" we accomplished, but it was fun spending time with each other and I am so incredibly stuffed that I feel like I might die.

I felt like eating ham and drinking water

Wow. Just, wow. I caught up on last week's premiere of Jersey Shore on MTV yesterday and I am embarrassed, appalled and engrossed!

It's like a low-brow version of The Real World (let's just stop to think about that for a second, shall we?) where everyone is over-tanned, over-muscled and under-brained. There's no "social experiment" here, no attempt to hide the hedonism and alcoholism. It's just pure voyeurism into a world that breeds, well, The Real Housewives of New Jersey!

Of course, I shall watch every episode.

Things just stay the same

After my work event, I met up with some old friends at the DC swim team happy hour, hosted at the 18th and U Duplex Diner. When I walked in, it was like walking into a time warp.

More than seven years ago, when I left DC, this place was super busy, thanks to a new owner, a strong bar menu, comfort food and an attractive bartender or two. It was crazy packed, just like I remembered it and I fought my way to the bar to order myself a drink as I waited.

Much to my surprise, the bartender was one of the same bartenders who worked there when I left DC, and I think he was wearing a shirt that he owned back then as well. The swimmers and the runners (it was a co-hosted happy hour) didn't seem to mingle and the conversations I heard were all about the same topics that I avoided back in the day. Generally speaking, they were all talking about each other, team gossip and complaining about leadership.

It was strange at first, but then I embraced the situation and I found it strangely comforting to be back in a familiar space, running into some people I knew and slipping back into my friends' conversations at dinner nearby.

Hands off the back button

In my cab ride to Policy Wonkette's house this evening, I was blessed with a cab driver who not only didn't know the way, but also played the same, terrible song five times in a row! I wish I had shazamed it so I could let the Internets know what song it was, but trust me when I say it was horrible and it had a lot of "sha la la la la" in it.

Baby barfy

After freshening up this afternoon, I made my way to Policy Wonkette's house and had a lovely early dinner with her and her new baby. According to plan, I'll be seeing three more babies over the course of my DC weekend, which means I will have to get used to the squirming and the wiggling.

This baby, while cute and generally very tame, is apparently afflicted with acid reflux and was doing his best Niagra Falls impression for about an hour after I arrived. Just when we thought everything was cool, I took a turn holding him and received quite the spit-up present in my lap! Hopefully, the rest of the babies I visit during this trip (and the rest of my life) won't be as generous with their fluids.

Aside from the waterworks, I had a great time catching up with Policy Wonkette and her husband, whose house made me very jealous of real estate outside of San Francisco. And driving to their home, I saw just how much 14th Street has changed since I lived here seven years ago. Neighborhoods are all gentrified!

Mr. Panda!!!! goes to Washington

I just arrived in Washington, DC, where I'm scheduled to meet with supposed experts on "green buildings." It's been three or four years since I've been here, and I'm really excited to be back, since I lived here during some very formative years in my young adulthood.

Driving through the Mall from the airport, I was reminded of how beautiful this city is, with its monuments and lack of skyscrapers. And there were so many people out and about, probably because it's December and it's in the mid-60s!

I've packed my stay with work-related meetings and chances to catch up with my friends, so it's going to be a busy few days!

O holy nigh...zzzzzzzzzzz...

Since it's December, I suppose 'tis the season. I also kind of like Christmas carols since they get me all excited for Christmas and make me think of fun times as a kid. But come on! I really don't think Christmas music is the right music to play at a gym. I'm not so inspired to work out to "pa rum pa pum pum..."

Brunch buffet

Charlotte York and I met up for brunch at a Southern-style restaurant that serves a mean Sunday buffet yesterday. I gobbled up some fried chicken, biscuits and gravy, scrambled eggs, a few potatoes and grits!

I fully intended to shove more food in my mouth, but we ended up engrossed in conversation for more than two hours, during which time we received several carafes of water and a few reminders from the waitress that we hadn't paid yet.

It was great catching up with Charlotte York and I'm proud of my own restraint at the buffet line. Not filling my tummy certainly made for a better workout afterward, but a missed opportunity when you consider the value proposition of a buffet.

Leftover land

One of the downsides to hosting Thanksgiving is being stuck with a refrigerator filled with Thanksgiving leftovers. I guess some might consider this a benefit, but when you're already approximately 10 ell-beez overweight, this is definitely a curse! Plus, I personally have no self-control so I've been stuffing my face at every chance I get!

Despite being saddled with all the carbs, Thanksgiving was a success! Puppy deserves major props for roasting a juicy, flavor-filled turkey and we had sides galore. Even though people ate with plates on laps, my family seemed to enjoy Thanksgiving in a cozy city dwelling. Gramps made a new friend in Victor Kiriakis (feeding the cat will definitely place you in his favor) and my neighbors probably have a new "appreciation" for my father's karaoke prowess.

The next day, I was exhausted and broken. I felt a little bit sick, but my back was in very poor condition, I think from vacuuming and cleaning all day. Someone really should consider making vacuums, mops and brooms for taller people.

Double entendre

I wonder if the producers, writers, etc. of Glee intended for the name of their high school choir group, New Directions, to sound like "nude erections."

We come in peace, always

We're just four episodes into the series V and now we have to wait until March 2010 for the next installment? Two weeks ago, I would have said, "meh," but last night's episode finally gave us a glimpse into the aliens' lives aboard the New York mothership.

Even though I didn't get to see any of the visitors eat cats, guinea pigs or humans, I'm starting to enjoy this show more. I'm hoping it continues to improve and that we'll get to see a modern-day version of the "starchild" with which I was so obsessed in the 1980s.

Save the children

Remember those commercials from the 1980s and 1990s where Sally Struthers implored viewers to help disadvantaged children in developing countries? You know, the ones where she is covered with dozens of malnourished children while she weeps into the camera lens? The ones that taught you that, for the same amount of money you spend on your morning coffee, you could feed and clothe a child, send him/her to school, ensure he/she as a home and a robust collection of G.I. Joe or Barbie dolls?

Well, I was reading a passage in an article that made me think of those commercials:

In the late 1990s, several child sponsorship organizations amended their disclosures after a series of articles in The Chicago Tribune revealed that while they were soliciting money to sponsor a specific needy child, that child was not necessarily receiving the money directly.

Then I remembered the time I called my parents from college and learned that, in an effort to enhance my sister's "community service" credentials, my mother adopted a little Filipina girl named Benalyn in her name. Benalyn's photo stared despondently from our computer keyboard for several years, and I suppose my mother continued to send money to her (or, to an organization that purported to help her) while my sister was in high school.

My friends and I dreamed of the day that Benalyn would show up in California, seeking to be reunited with her generous new mother from the Western world. My sister would be so proud of her young, disadvantaged, Tagalog-speaking daughter and we would all weep with joy at young Benalyn's high school graduation, taking pride in the fact that Lil' Sis' Panda!!!! had given her a second chance at life. We would lovingly embrace her at her extravagant wedding in the US and we would brag when she achieved a top position in Corporate America.

Alas, I wonder what happened to Benalyn and how many other families shared this dream.

F is for fat

I was really impressed/depressed by the movie Precious the other night. It's such an unnerving story and made me want to know more about the protagonist. I may even read the book!

There's all sorts of Oscar buzz surrounding the movie and its stars. Mo'Nique did an impressive job of leaving behind her comedic persona and becoming the devil. But her voice is so distinct that I kept hearing her as the headmistress from the original season of Charm School. "Thank you, Darra, for coming out dressed as air."

Groceries galore

Puppy and I woke up early yesterday to get our shop on. We wanted to beat the Thanksgiving crowds and get all our groceries for the big night this week!

Since I'm new to this hosting thing, it never really occurred to me how expensive Thanksgiving can be! Partly, it's my fault for insisting on a free range turkey and high-quality sides. We spent a small fortune and I had to track down some truffle butter, but I'm hopeful it will be worth it.

Ironically, my refrigerator is now filled with food, but there's nothing for me to eat! Stocking up on Thanksgiving food is such a tease!

SFFD

I was understandably excited when the man behind me in line to order sandwiches yesterday asked if I was in the fire department. He and his equally homeless-looking ladyfriend kept asking, "Are you sure you're not in the fire department? You look like a firefighter."

I let them know that I am not nearly brave enough to be a firefighter, and that got them cracking up uncontrollably. "Not brave enough! You hear that? He say he not brave enough!"

And away...

I finally sat down to watch UP last night and I loved it! What a sweet, touching, fun movie. It really makes me wish I had seen it in theaters with 3-D effects.

While cartoony in nature, there definitely were parts that didn't seem right for the little kiddies.

Carnivorous

Puppy and I met up with Hellenica for a little catch-up dinner last night and I was shocked when she announced she was ordering a burger! This is my same friend who's been a staunch and adamant vegetarian for the past two decades. She made her father declare half of the backyard grill a "meat-free" zone! Even at her family's annual Greek Easter party (where there are several lambs roasting on spits), she only ate moussaka and hummus-type stuff.

I was impressed. It took a while, but she finally came to her senses!

I play real sports. Not tryin' to be the best at exercising.

Due to my mortgage, I gave up premium cable about a year ago. Sad. So, I'm late to the table when it comes to Eastbound & Down, which Puppy and I started watching recently.

If you're not familiar with the series, HBO describes the show thusly:

Relief Pitcher Kenny Powers was poised to rule the Big Leagues, but two things got in the way: his fading fastball and his insufferable personality. After a spectacular career flame-out, Kenny came home to Shelby County, NC and picked up a job as a substitute gym teacher (mostly so his brother Dustin would stop threatening to kick him out). He's spent every moment since then cashing in the last of his dying fame while plotting his inevitable comeback... one beer at a time.

And it. Is. HILARIOUS! I'm only two episodes in, but I'm totally hooked! The things that come out of his mouth. Sheesh!

The W in WPK

I was so excited for Amanda Woodward's return on Melrose Place last night! And even though her face now barely moves, it was comforting to hear her sassy voice in the MP mix again.

Last night's episode was also further evidence that the producers did the right thing in firing Ashlee Simpson from her role as Violet. It was painful - painful - but funny to watch her attempts at being sexy and seductive. More like awkward and desperate. On second thought, she does bring some comic relief to the show!

Holiday stress

With Thanksgiving next week and Christmas shortly after, I'm starting to break out in hives from the holiday season. This year, my aunt is unable to host Thanksgiving, a tradition that dates back at least a decade, and somehow, my mother tricked me into hosting Thanksgiving for our extended family at my home.

True, several family members will be out of town, but I've never had 12 people over at the same time and I've certainly never had to cook for that many people before! It doesn't help that work has been heating up and I need to build various cases to get budget for the next fiscal year right about now.

I've been looking through recipes and consulting with Puppy about what is easily cooked when you're limited by having only one oven which will be reserved for a gigantic turkey. And each time, my heart races and I start to sweat a little, which is probably a good thing because I haven't been to the gym in eons.

And now that I'm house-poor, I'm going to research some artsy-and-crafty gifts for Christmas.

Car service

For dinner tonight, I went to a really lovely restaurant with two former co-workers who are also in town for The Nonprofit's conference. We asked our hotel to order us up a taxi and learned that it would be 15-20 minutes. After approximately 45 minutes, we were still waiting and the poor hotel boy (a Cornell student) kept calling the taxi company with no luck.

Finally, he offered to drive us to the resaurant in the hotel's big white van. It was very kind of him and it was the sort of above-and-beyond service that you don't really experience much these days.

After our meal, we were in the same predicament. Our restaurant couldn't get through to the taxi dispatcher and a waitress, a very kind, soft-spoken woman from Beijing, offered to drive us back to the hotel on her way home. We were the last people in the restaurant and it was clear they wanted us out, but again, such a phenomenally kind gesture!

And thank goodness for these acts of kindness because otherwise, we probably would have had to settle for the hotel restaurant!

Live tweetie

After I did my duty, appearing on a panel about my worky, The Nonprofit's conference closed with an interesting and engaging keynote plenary. As I sat in my chair, I started fiddling with my phone and tried my hand at live tweeting.

It was sort of distracting for me to type and listen at the same time, but I found it rather addictive. I was read what others at the conference were tweeting and found that my followers grew as I shared my own perspective.

Toward the end of the session, someone proposed a tweetup, but I wasn't brave enough to meet the live tweeters in person.

Just a baby panda

Internets, today was a long day. After only 4-5 hours of sleep, I dragged myself to The Nonprofit's board meeting, which found approximately 20 of us cooped up in a room from 8:30am to 6:00pm, with only a 30 minute break before re-convening for a board dinner.

While I honestly enjoy my fellow board members, I am not very good at all-day marathon meetings. And it's especially hard to keep up with such a smart and distinguished group of people. I think I'm the youngest member of our board (Although one of the newer members may be slightly younger.), but I'm definitely at the lower end of the experience spectrum.

At one point, the two men seated on either side of me were bantering back and forth about who was older when one turned to ask how old I was. When I told them, they both groaned and declared that I'm a baby!

One of our newest board members mentioned that his daughter attended my alma mater and when I let him know of my affiliation, we realized that his daughter is a mere four years younger than me. He was kind of shocked that I was serving on the board, only 11 years after my undergrad experience.

I don't usually mind being mistaken for young, especially since I feel so old, but it's tough to maintain credibility when you don't have the experience or at least the air of experience about you. I know it really shouldn't matter, but I just feel like it does. I guess I should enjoy it before I'm one of the geezers.

Ithaca is gorges

I traveled all day and just arrived in Ithaca, NY for The Nonprofit's annual convention. I'm looking forward to the next few days' activities and to catching up with old friends, but sweet jeebus I've become a weather wimp! It's 28 degrees and I feel like I might develop frostbite!

Reality star

I just got off the phone with a television producer who's developing a 13-part series with TLC. The show will feature different technology and companies that are having a positive impact on our planet. My name and company came up as a result of the Corporate Citizenship Report we launched last week.

At first, I was kind of excited at the prospect of joining the ranks of Jon Gosselin and the Duggar Family as a TLC reality star, but it quickly became clear that this was a "pay-to-play" proposition and that they were looking for us to fork over some cash-money in exchange for being featured on the show.

I guess I won't be earning a living by looking pensive like the ladies of The Hills or shopping like a Real Housewife any time soon. Sad.

Lipstick

Dyson and his boyfriend cooked us a delicious four-course dinner the other night, fattening us up with amazingly yummy bleu cheese potatoes and other scrumptious dishes. It was also the first time I've had the pleasure of meeting their two little dachshunds, one of which kept getting very excited and showing off his lipstick!

Karaoke auntie

A few nights ago, my dad's eldest sister passed away after battling cancer for the past few years. Even though her prognosis had been grim, she slipped away much more suddenly than anyone expected, suggesting that maybe she decided it was her time.

My dad's side of the family is full of loud, boisterous characters who compete for attention, eat with abandon and are constantly laughing. Clearly, I inherited some of these traits. My aunt, in particular, was one of the louder, more happy-go-lucky of the clan and she was always the life of the party.

One of my clearest memories of her is at my grandmother's old apartment in Hong Kong where she and my father were belting out tunes on a home karaoke machine. Neither cared that they could have used an auto-tune and both were having a great time, just enjoying each other's company and singing into the night.

Due to my work schedule, I'm sad that I'll miss the funeral in a few days, but I'm glad we were all able to gather a few months ago in Vancouver when my cousin got married. She was in bright spirits during that trip, obviously weak from chemo, but definitely stronger than I had expected. Whether it was simply a brave face or a particularly positive period doesn't matter. She still managed to shine amongst the dozens of aunts, uncles and cousins who had gathered for the weekend.

Birthday bonanza

My head hurts a little from overdrinking last night, having gone to three different birthday parties in one evening. First up was Lezzie P's birthday party which was conveniently located at a nearby bar and conveniently scheduled for early in the evening. All the usual suspects were there, and Mahogany Sparkle made his presence known by sitting on a table and upsetting everyone's drinks! Apparently, he was so mortified by this that he left the party early.

But not as early as Puppy and I left because we went to one of his co-worker's birthday party. An event where I felt super old since everyone was Lil' Bro' Panda!!!!'s age and one of them even went to elementary school with him. This party was marked by lots of food and party hats! Puppy selected a jungle themed party hat and we made our way to the third party of the night.

It was Swimsation's birthday celebration and she immediately took a shining to Puppy's tiger hat and claimed it as her own. We continued to poison our bodies, bought the birthday gal a whiskey sour and returned to Lezzie P's party, where only Roommates A&J, GarGar and Lezzies N&P remained.

I'm proud of myself for making it to all three parties, in different parts of the city. Usually, when faced with so many options, at least one goes unattended.

Fundraising, grazing, hellraising

After work, a colleague and I went to a nearby hotel for an AIDS fundraiser. Puppy and VALedictorian met me there, and we played their little fundraising game. They'd opened a few of the hotel's theme rooms and each person was encouraged to visit the rooms, bid on items in a silent auction, drink cocktails and get a little card highlighted for a goody bag.

One room was themed "Kathy Griffin," because she stayed there or something. I admit it seemed like a pretty plain room to me, but boasted a photo of her wearing nearly nothing on the desk.

Another room was "Haagen Dazs" and had its own freezer of ice creamy treats, a branded bedspread and delicious smelling Haagen Dazs candles. More importantly, it featured a very generous wine pourer who kept refilling our glasses with bubbly wine without asking us for our drink tickets! We stayed in there for a while.

As we made our way through the hotel, I randomly ran into Hellenica, who was also supporting the cause. Later, during the drag show entertainment portion of the fundraiser, I saw Clipper and accosted him to learn more about his fairly new porn career.

The drag show was pretty boring, as most seem to be, so VALedictorian, Puppy and I made our way to dinner at the recently opened Burger Bar, which also was a sad disappointment. But we made it into a fun time, and we ostensibly were there to celebrate VALedictorian's birthday, so we each scarfed down an alcohol-filled milkshake in addition to our mediocre burgers. Since VALedictorian is single and on the prowl, we had a fun time encouraging her to hook up with everyone in sight, including our 12-year-old waiter with limited serving ability.

Team lunch

My boss-lady thinks our team has been working totes hard, so she scheduled a team outing today. Lunch, followed by a movie.

When we couldn't agree on a movie (One of us wouldn't see This Is It, another had already seen Where the Wild Things Are, I refused to see Saw VI), the outing turned into lunch, then a trip to the MoMA.

So, we dutifully packed up our stuff and headed to Anchor & Hope, home of one of my favorite restaurant murals in the city, and we had a really good meal. I didn't realize that JJ Crackers works at the bar several times a week, so now I have a new place to visit, should the happy hour urge call to me!

But after lunch, each of us was feeling kind of overwhelmed by the work that still needs tending to, so we returned to the office. Sort of a sad team outing.

Another company, another report

Yesterday was a busy day, thanks to the release of the company's Corporate Citizenship Report, a little website I've been working on for nearly a year. It's the third such report I've worked on, but the first one for my new company.

This time, being the panda in charge, I've been able to implement some ideas that my last company balked at, and hopefully they won't cost me my job. So far, I've done a little itty-bitty media bit, but otherwise it's been crickets chirping. Unlike the last company, my current employer doesn't garner that much press (despite being 10 times larger), so it's been tough to gauge the reaction. Mostly, because there is none!

Since there was such a lack of fanfare, we decided to create our own! Our core team left work early, headed out to a fun new bar and celebrated. The bar boasted cool, driftwood decor and hipster-type bartenders, a fanciful and detailed menu and loud music. Exactly what I needed!

The mystery cat

What started out as a routine teeth cleaning this morning turned into a session to fill macavity! Fortunately, it was a teeny, tiny cavity and took approximately 10 minutes to finish up.

A cavity.

I'm falling apart.

An apple a day

Since I avoided all the Halloween messiness, I decided to make up for it yesterday with a trip to the bar. Selives was in town for the weekend and I wanted to catch up with him before he left. And the best way to do this is at the bar with all your friends, right?

Well, it was a messy, messy Sunday funday at the bar involving wigs, heels and apple cocktails. Stoli has a new apple vodka, which Beetle's been experimenting with lately and I think I may have found a new favorite drinkie.