goin' back to TA-HO, to TA-HO, to TA-HO

Tahoe, here we come! JR and I are renting a condo in Tahoe this weekend with Lindsey & Angela, and Alex & Jasmin. Oh the drinking to be done! We got a condo for 6 at Granlibakken, which looks really cool.

We've got a lot to do today before we head out - get the oil changed, finish laundry and packing, pick up a prescription, pick up a package from the post office, drop off Winston at a new PetHotel, go to JR's boss's party for a while, and buy liquor and wine and snacks and alcohol. Did I mention the alcohol? For there will be hot tubs.

Awww yeahhh.

gone skiing (sort of)

And... we're off! For the Forsythe annual ski trip! And the "sort of" part is because I don't actually ski. I tend to get drastically injured just walking, and I almost split myself in half AND broke both feet off at the top of my ski boots last time I tried. And I tried HARD! (But I literally thought, "This is it, both of my legs are going to snap off at the ski boot, because it is physically impossible for my skis to remain horizontal, with my boots remaining vertical, while I am prone and wrapped around something that shouldn't be on a bunny slope.") Actually, I think my actual thoughts (and what came out of my mouth) was more akin to "fuck! fuck! fuck! ohmigod! fuck! fuckfuckfuck! FUCK!!!" (rinse and repeat.)

So these days I kick back with hot toddies in front of the fire and read a book or surf the interwebs or take photos or nap, and stay nice and warm all day until all the friends and family come home, freezing and windburned and wet. Then we eat good food, drink, and play games of great hilarity. It will be so terrific to see everyone!

We're at the airport right now, and we board our plane soon. We fly into Albuquerque (via Phoenix) and then we're renting a car to drive to Red River. Five people, all their ski gear and miscellany, in an SUV. That should be fun AND comfortable. Let it be known: I'm pre-calling shotgun.

Enjoy the weekend full of torrential rain, SFers! See you soon! And don't even try to break into our house while we're gone, you nefarious thieves - we have a ferocious cat guarding the place (you don't want to fuck with the Mercury), and a cat sitter who ranks just behind Merc in don't-fuck-with-ness. Hi cat sitter! (You know who you are.) Thank you!

Wow - I feel so much better! I've been holding back on the obscenities recently, which (let's face it) goes against my nature. What a relief!

more chicago photos

"the bean", originally uploaded by ashleyv.

I know it took forever, but I've finally uploaded the rest of my Chicago trip photos. This is one of my faves.

some chicago photos

skybridge, originally uploaded by ashleyv.

This isn't all of them, but it's all I could get through uploading today. There are lots more pics to come, but I'm hoping to stuff a whole lot more sightseeing into my morning tomorrow, so I may just have to work on them during the flight.

It's been gorgeous and cold in Chicago this week, and I look forward to coming back soon when I have a plan for what to see and can spend some time enjoying the sights with JR. In the meantime, I just can't wait to get home.

here i come, chicago!

Tomorrow morning I leave for a business trip to Chicago. I'll be there through Friday. I'm going on some customer research studies, and I'm really looking forward to it.

I'll be staying on the Miracle Mile, so I'll be doing a little shopping. I had to pack a big coat because it's too big and fluffy and fabulous to wear on the flight, so I have absolutely zero room in my suitcase. It is packed to the hilt, so if I buy anything, I'll probably have to get it shipped home! :) I'm going to have to work extra hard on sticking to my diet, and the plan is to work out at the hotel gym every morning. There will be a lot of other Googlers there for the DUX conference, so that'll be cool.

I'm working on the photos from both the night at the Exploratorium and from JR's birthday party. Hopefully I'll finish them on the flight, and can upload them when I get all settled into the hotel room.

Over and out.

jamaica, mon!

For months now, JR and I have been hemming and hawing over taking a vacation. We are both desperately in need of one, but deciding when, where, how long, and how much to spend have just made us churn endlessly. This week, we finally bit the bullet and booked it. We'll be spending ten days in lovely Negril, Jamaica, staying at the Sandals Negril Beach Resort & Spa on the famous 7-mile beach.

Those of you who have known me for a while may remember that I went to Negril in 2002 to participate in the American Stroke Association's Train to End Stroke team at the Reggae Marathon. It was so beautiful that I just had to go back. (And I get to introduce JR to the delicious wonder that is the Rock House.)

I can hardly wait. Now all I have to do is lose 30 pounds and be in shape in time for the trip...

the week from hell

Let's just get the work stuff out of the way first: I had two projects with tight deadlines go horribly wrong last week, one because I just hadn't pushed myself the extra mile to design the most elegant and simple solution I could devise. Because of my stupidity, these projects that were supposed to be out of my hair last week were pushed into this week. And this week I needed to concentrate on a third project that needs to be ready for a presentation tomorrow. And The Decemberists show was tonight.

So at the end of an already frustrating week, JR and I decided to just get a motel in Mountain View for the whole week, starting last Saturday, because I literally can't afford to waste that much time commuting when I need to be working. And for a little sanity. Except everything's booked. Some conference or something.

Then something came up*, and we couldn't stay in Mountain View all week anyways, so we just decided to spend the weekend. And voila! We can get a room at the Cypress Hotel, a Kimpton hotel. If you don't know these - go stay in one! Now! The Cypress is pet-friendly, so we could take Winston with us, and the hotel was so luxurious. tiger print carpeting, thick brown "fur" throws, and cheetah print robes. And I put out what is perhaps my finest work to date this weekend. JR and I have decided we should do this more regularly. (Not work weekends, but stay at fabulous hotels that don't even have to be far away. Then again, if it was actually related to the hotel, maybe the G could see fit to expensing it. That'll be the day!)

* I just don't have the time or the energy to go into it now, as I still have a lot of work to do for tomorrow. And a whole lot due Friday, too. So maybe I can write about what came up when I can take a breath - Saturday maybe? We'll see. JR will be away skiing this weekend, and I might take the opportunity to sleep from Friday night til Sunday noon. :) What came up was health related, so just send me good vibes, 'kay? Love ya.

sxswi 2007

Well, we're back. Great panels, great schmoozing, got to see some of my own personal internet rockstars, and drank til the wee hours. Incredible parties. Check out some of the photos:

Flickr Set: SXSWi 07

So far, I've only uploaded the ones from my powershot. I still have to upload the ones from my Rebel.

After the conference was over, JR and I headed for San Antone to see family and friends. I got to see my dad's new house (amazing!). My sister Karolyn came down from Houston one night. And we had such a great time with our friends! Hi friends! :)

That's all for now. I'll tell you how I torqued my back while crashing to my knees (busting my right knee for the THIRD time now), but it'll have to wait.

i am at SXSWinteractive!!

I arrived in Austin this afternoon, checked into the hotel, and headed over to registration at SXSW. It's only 3 blocks away. Registration took so long that I missed my first panel. :( I made "How to Rawk SXSW" and I'm glad I did. It was funny, and had a bunch of great tips.

Now I'm waiting for JR to arrive from his flight. I made the mistake of saying hi to a kid that sat down next to me, and now he won't shut up; he's full of punk teen attitude and boastful stories. Argh. I think I'll wait for JR back at the hotel. And then it is time to get our drink on! (Oh, and neither of us have eaten all day, so food would be good first.)

PS - I brought my camera and my brand new flash, so I should have plenty of photos to post.

austin's on google transit in time for sxsw

From the Official Google Blog: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/

Music, Movies, Mayhem, and the Metro
3/08/2007 08:52:00 AM
Posted by Tom Sly, New Business Development

I'm thrilled to report that, as of today, the Capital Metro Transportation Authority of Austin, Texas is the 10^th agency to become part of Google Transit Trip Planner.

Some of you may notice that we're announcing this new partnership just in time for the South by Southwest (SXSW) Conference and Festival, which is taking place in Austin from March 9 to 18. And there is a reason for that...

This year, SXSW has gone carbon neutral. And thanks to the efforts of the Capital Metro team, the thousands of visitors that come to Austin for the 10-day music, film, and interactive festival can do their part to reduce carbon emissions by planning their SXSW experience using public transportation. As an added incentive for SXSW attendees, $1 day passes are available for purchase on board Capital Metro buses and provide unlimited use of Capital Metro services for an entire day.

Using Google Transit, I now know that when I arrive in Austin, I'll be taking Capital Metro from the Airport to the Convention Center, and, from there, I'll do my best to take in as much of the action as possible. So, if you're part of an agency that offers regular bus, light-rail, train, or ferry service, come find me amidst the movies, music, and interactive panels at SXSW, or drop the Google Transit team a line.

Source: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2007/03/music-movies-mayhem-and-metro.html

wow - interim post

A lot has happened - I have photos from the ski trip to Ruidoso (FUN!), the Flickr 333 Birthday Party (TOO COOL!!!), and an account of the weirdest, most bizarro Sunday night of my life.

But I don't have time right now - I have to pick out which sessions I'm attending at SXSWinteractive, and I just sent out an evite to a Happy Hour on March 14th at the Saucer.

If you didn't get an invite, shoot me a line, and I'll add you to the invite list. I did it in a real hurry, so I might've missed ya.

gone skiin'

I am off for the "Something-th Annual Forsythe Family & Friends Ski-stravaganza and Get Yer Drunk On". I coined that name myself, so don't hold JR's parents responsible. I also think it requires "jazz hands" on the "-stravaganza" part, but whatever; do what you like.

There will be so many of us there we had to rent 3 houses!!! I'm so looking forward to seeing everybody! I myself do not ski, but there are plenty of other things to do, like ... drink hot spiked cider while I read by the fire, and ... play drinking games at night!

There will actually be fun stuff for the cripplingly clumsy, like snow tubing and maybe some snowmobiling. Hmmm... I wonder if those require coordination after all... Anyhoo, this trip is a big, snowy-white, blank page waiting to be filled. Yippee!!!