A Rare Treat.

December 20 New person. She came into your life and turned it upside down. He went out of his way to provide incredible customer service. Who is your unsung hero of 2009?

I met two wonderful people this year and while their reputations preceded them, I was not at all surprised when my expectations were exceed above and beyond what I heard because they are the type of people that are a rare treat in this world. They are the type of people you hear about and perhaps strive to be like because they are kind and generous and welcoming and the list goes on and on and if I am able to achieve the kind of warmth they displayed towards me upon my first encounter with them, I will consider it a true gift.

I met Henry and Aki Anderson in October and upon first meeting them, Aki welcomed me into her arms and over dinner Henry and I laughed over the our horrible pronunciation of sommelier. We spent the weekend together along with my parents and their friends and the trip concluded with a delightful breakfast that combined the tastes of traditional Japanese fare with the heartiness of the American style bacon and eggs.



Although I have yet to see Henry and Aki since that weekend, they have graciously invited my boyfriend and I to see them again and perhaps once the holiday hussle and bussle is through, I will take them up on their offer, but until then, I have the memories and know that I am better off having met them.

Inspiration.

December 19 Car ride. What did you see? How did it smell? Did you eat anything as you drove there? Who were you with?

I was on my way to Canada with my parents and @omgconor. This is what that drive inspired....

I got a kick out of seeing road signs that said 'food next right,' so excited in fact that I wrote home about it even though I got back home faster than my letter; I left two days after I saw the sign.

Every time we drove under two freeway bridges that crossed each other I put my hands on the ceiling of the car to make a wish, until I realized that my arms were getting tired because I was touching the ceiling every five minutes. See where I'm from they don't have signs that tell you food is at the next exit or freeways criss and cross and connect states and cities and countries.

Trees lined the roads as we ventured away from the city, it was overwhelming. I almost felt like we were invading their space like someone put a road right in the middle of a peaceful green forest and didn't even check with them to see if it was okay. The trees seemed to be getting their revenge by forming their growth into an almost tunnel like shape so that one day the tunnel will be so enclosed with branches, they'll take over the road and take backs what's theirs.

*I never finished the piece but perhaps the next time I'm on the road I'll find the inspiration I need to complete it.

The End of an Era.

December 18 Shop Online or offline, where did you spend most of your mad money this year?

I immediately thought about clothes when I read this question, and while I did spend a good chunk of change on books and comic books, and aside from the usual living expenses, the mad spending money went towards clothes or shoes. Yet, when I think about it, the only reason I've spent so much on clothes is because for the past 3.5 years years I was employed part time at Banana Republic. So not only was Gap, Inc paying me, they were also acquiring a loyal customer who basically spent everything I earned in their stores. With my super sweet discount, I tried to fool myself into thinking that I was a getting good deal because a cute sweater that once was $100.00 is now only $35, I would always end up spending more than the original price of the sweater because everything is such a steal and I would spend twice as much and not think about it than I would in any other store, simply because I have a discount.

And so I continued this same pattern when the year became and stocked up on winter coats and got the newest spring fashions, but as the days got longer and the crisp Seattle air got warmer and warmer, I realized that I had had enough of Banana. For three years, I was working two jobs and I missed having a summer, so with a heavy heart I decided it was time to say goodbye, to my additional income, the amazing people I worked with, and also my discount, but what I did not say goodbye to was the clothes because I continued to shop there. I was so stuck in the routine of shopping at Banana that even without the discount, I still felt compelled to shop there. My boyfriend told me that I wasn't obligated to shop there anymore after I quit, but I continued to get discount cards in the mail, or a $20.00 reward card with my latest bill, and just when I thought I was done, I would get an email reminding me that Friends and Family weekend was right around the corner.

Like any addiction, I had to slowly weened myself off BR. I took baby steps, I stopped looking at the weekly emails they sent me, then I immediately recycled any fliers I got in the mail, and pretty soon I realized that I didn't need new clothes every month or even every other week because I had amassed quite a wardrobe over the past three years and now I realize that I don't have to be a slave to the styling of Banana Republic and can venture out on a limb and express myself in which ever way I chose.

OMG!

December 17 Word or phrase. A word that encapsulates your year. "2009 was _____."

My default reaction to anything and everything this year has been OMG! It actually make me laugh now that I think about it....

I Digg Tea.

December 16 Tea of the year. I can taste my favorite tea right now. What's yours?

I like green tea and drink a cup pretty much everyday, so that would be my tea pick of the year, however, I am not opposed to trying different flavors and thanks to Kevin and Alex at Diggnation, I was introduced to a variety of wonderful teas this year.

Last year during the holiday season, the gang at Diggnation, spearheaded by tea connoisseur, Kevin Rose, created tea blends and sample sets courtesy of Adagio Teas that were perfect for any novice tea drinker (and Diggnation fan) like myself to see what else is out there. @omgconor got me Alex's Tea Bag of Holiday Goodness. What a fitting name! It was absolutely delightful like drinking a candy cane, yum!

Curb + Packaging = Hilarious!

December 15 Best packaging. Did your headphones come in a sweet case? See a bottle of tea in another country that stood off the shelves?

I don't like packaging here's a video that explains my frustration...

What is a Rush?

December 14 Rush. When did you get your best rush of the year?

I was a bit stumped by this prompt, mainly due to the use of the word rush, what is a rush, how is it defined. So I did what I usually do when I don't know the answer to something, I looked it up, I googled it. According to the Merriam Webster online dictionary rush is defined as:

an intransitive verb:
- to move forward, progress, or act with haste or eagerness or without preparation

a transitive verb:
- to push or impel on or forward with speed, impetuosity, or violence
- to perform in a short time or at a high speed

a noun:
- a violent forward motion, an attack, a surging of emotion
- a burst of activity, productivity, or speed, a sudden insistent demand
- the act of carrying a football during a game

Interesting, because my initial reaction of a rush was one that included a moment or a time during the year where I felt the most alive, where my heart was racing, I was on the edge of my seat, I was bursting at the seams with excitement and anticipation, I was beyond exhilarated and enjoying my life to it's absolute fullest potential. But I rarely had those moments this year, 2009 has seemed to be a year of transition and introspection, of reevaluation and contemplation about the choices I've made and where I need to go from here. Yet often, there were times when I acted with haste, not thinking about how my actions would later affect me or those around me and I constantly felt that I had to accomplish and perform to a very high standard in a short amount of time and I was constantly in a state in which my emotions were surging and unpredictable, so in those ways I did have a rush, although I have never carried a football during a game. And so, if anything, this question made me realize that if 2009 was the year I looked in and tended to myself, 2010 will be a year in which I come out of my place of solitary musing and live as if I've never had before!