Seems like everyone I know is either running a marathon or doing a triathalon right now, so I decided to give myself a little fitness test and see how far I can run. I made it to three miles then started cramping...maybe Ill try again tomorrow if Im not too sore. Isnt it funny the way things like that are epidemic? Surrounding yourself with successful people can always be a good thing I guess, but its the modest ones that are hard to crack. Usually the people that dont brag or talk about themselves are the most successful, as they have no reason to compensate for their lack. As much as id like to be a person like that, I have to lift myself up every once in a while. In my mind Im very happy with myself though...sometimes its the little things I draw on the most! A favorite song, a smile from a stranger, even a short text from a good friend. With this in mind, I do my best to give others these small pleasures that really mean a lot sometimes!

Here I am in San Diego, and its bringing back lots of great memories! I was first stationed here on a destroyer tender coming out of boot camp and fireman school. I had a surrogate mother whom Ive searched the world over for...she took over where my own mother left off teaching me things my mother probably never would have. She was a life insurance agent with access to the military bases here and I would sometimes go around with her during the day. At night we turned into pool hustlers going around to some of the coolest bars and clubs around. Ive been back to where she used to live and the neighborhood has completely changed! Soon after arriving at my new ship I had a fainting incident that required them to take me off the boat and transfer me to work for the comptroller of the base so I could get tested to make sure I was fit for duty. I lost touch with my friend after that, but found a new friend in the charismatic civilian I worked for. I went to her place for thanksgiving and was welcomed into her family even though I was the only white girl there. I tried chitlins for the first time...dont think I want to do that again;-) In the office is where I developed my interest in computers, as I was working on the LAN systems and teaching new software to the accountants. Dont think Ive ever lost my curiosity, as I later went on the school for that once I was out of the military. It wasnt a hard decision for me, as I had become an independent thinker and I knew I could go farther in the world without the bureaucracy I experienced on the ships. I can remember one instance where I was going around to different offices and shops trying to figure out what it was I wanted to pursue in the technical feilds, only to be told to go on break when nobody would show me the ropes of what goes on. Even though I aced the dlab(defense language aptitude battery), I decided that going to school on my own in the civilian sector was the answer. In my last duty station on the base as a parking attendant, I found that a lot of the military's smartest(the nuclear engineers) were faking illness and injury in order to get out because of the harsh conditions they had to endure. My life has taken a completely different path now, and looking back I wouldnt change a thing!

For those of you that have been to COI Restaurant, theres another 2 michelin star restaurant in the mission called S A I S O N - Reservations thats way easier to get into and is just as good if not better! I had a 20 course tasting menu that was amazing...uni shipped from japan, live scallop, popcorn ice cream, and as a gift from the chef(you guessed it), fois gras! Yes folks, it may be banned from california, but that hasnt banned Joshua Skenes from giving us the silkiest, richest, most spectacular fois gras Ive had in a long time! This kind of reminds me of prohibition, no? So Saison is actually in the Mission, and after dinner I went for a walk to see what all the craze was about. I didnt see any gang bangers, but I did see a lot of hipsters, cool restaurants, and weird little shops. One has taxidermy, fossils, and curiosities that I may have to go see during the daytime! Im having such a fantastic time in San Francisco, but tomorrow I leave for San Diego which Im truely excited about. I actually lived there a spell while I was in the Navy, so itll be fun to visit some old haunts. In the meantime, I have one more day to enjoy San Francisco and I intend to take it in to the fullest!

San Francisco has been a whirlwind, and union square is definitely where all the action is! Last night I saw fireworks for my window on the back, and a couple nights ago there was a salsa band right in the square with a huge crowd of dancers. I discovered I really like http://www.hubertkeller.com/ restaurants after visiting Fleur De Li's and burger bar! I first went into burger bar wanting to try the foie gras burger, but was disappointed to find out that its been banned from California. Its a controversial subject on weather or not the treatment of ducks is humane or not, but foie gras is just so good! I was surprisingly not disappointed in the food though...they have a fabulously creative menu for this more casual dining place, but the fine dining at fluer de lis was just out of sight! I also visited one of my favorite chef's Michael Mina restaurant...Bourbon steak. I was meeting a new girlfriend from Seattle here, and she loved it! Tonight Im going to the mission, which Ive heard quite a lot about lately. Lots of natives here say its one of their favorite neighborhoods, but it also has an edge to it as supposedly several gangs are in the area. It should be exciting, and Im always ready to explore more of San Francisco!

Last night was a great 4th of july in seattle! I brought a bottle of wine to my girlfriends and we watched fireworks on the roof. She had another girlfriend over with a family of puppies that we so cute! It wasnt too wild and uneventful but nice. We chatted it up the whole time, then walked up to the store together to get hot dogs. She lives in capitol hill, so we were right in the middle of all the action. Somebody walking by outside threw an m80 right near our window and I nearly jumped out of my britches! After a while I had to get back to Donk at home but girl talk is so needed sometimes!