Maybe I'll miss....

People keep asking me what I'll miss most about the firm.  I look at them befuddled and then scramble for a sincere answer before laughing in their face.  Am I suppose to miss something?  Can't you only really know what you'll miss only after it's gone?   Isn't that a fairly large assumption that there is something to miss?   Maybe, just maybe, I'll miss the following:

• This guy's honesty with me and keeping me honest with myself:

• Lunches in the Market, in order of preference if someone else is buying: 1.) Matt's in the Market, 2.) Place Pigalle, 3.) Steelhead Diner.  4.) The Pink Door 5.) The Crumpet Shop.  Oh, and Daily Dozen Donuts. 
• Early morning Tall Non-fat Milk Chocolate Hot Chocolates at Dilettante
• Sunbathing on the Roof Deck

...Yep.  That's about it.

Validated

Thank you NPR for validating my adolescent crush on Usher and making OMG your Song of the Day. PS. Will.i.am might be the best thing to happen to hip hop despite the unnecessarily punctuated name.



To SH, queue this up for the next spontaneous dance party that may or may not happen Friday night.

Limitless

On Friday I sent this All Firm email that I have dreamed of sending. Literally, dreamed.  Maybe even drafted a few times.

I am excited to announce that Friday, May 14th, will be my last day.  Words are insufficient to express the gratitude I feel towards the firm and the people here who have been so instrumental in my professional growth. I can only provide my sincerest thank you to each of you.  You have all taught me so much that will forever influence my future.


Thank you all so much.


-C

I mean every word of it.  Four years ago I started at the firm thick-skinned, headstrong, beat up, battered, tough and bitter (like NYC can do to the sheltered and inexperienced 22 year old). During my time at the firm I have been privileged to watch brilliant people do amazing things.  I have learned more about business than any book or school could have taught me.  I learned more about people, had my heart tenderized and toughened, spent hours thinking, planning, organizing, analyzing, writing, negotiating, serving, etc. It is exactly the path I was suppose to walk.  

I'm not really sure what the future holds.  I'm even more unclear of the next steps or what I will be doing. If I were to be completely honest, I'm sorta freaking out on the inside.  In 9 years, I've never not worked so my indentity crisis will probably hit at about 5:00 pm on Friday. But, I have received an outpouring of support from my family and friends that I am truly at a loss for words to express how much you all mean to me.  Your words of support allow me to find the faith in myself and in the future.

I have had one of the best weekends in recent memory spent with friends, biking, cooking, eating, reading, laughing.  I honestly can't remember the last time I've laughed and smiled so much. I think I've even etched a few smile lines.  Being blessed beyond measure is something that I too often take for granted.   But not tonight, tonight I offer my prayers in gratitude for all the has been given to me, the people, the experiences, the life that I am so blessed to live.

I have so much I want to do and accomplish that the door to the world has literally opened the the potential for success is truly limitless.

Get excited.  I am.

Cake or Death (by chocolate)

toasted pecans

+

flourless chocolate cake with 1.2 lbs of chocolate

+

creme fraiche cream topping

=

Oaxacan Chocolate Cake

Weird.

Well, I’m back.

I’m in a dress, high heels, make up on, hair did, nails did for the first time in 2 weeks…which means only one thing: I’m back at work….And it’s weird.

I can backpack across Japan without a single twinge in my finicky sprained fragile back, but put me in totally slammin' red Steve Madden pumps for 6 hours, I’m toast. That’s weird.

I’ve had 3 American food meals since getting home and my stomach is pissed. P-I-S-S-E-D. That’s weird. Well, really more painful than weird. 

I’ve been up for 21 hours now trying to kick this jet-lag. So far, Jet Lag: 3, Cara: 0. I feel a come back with the caffeine-laced beverage I’m downing. In other news, I’ve also grown unsightly biceps from this backpacking escapade.

One of the partners who I'm pretty sure didn't learn my name until maybe six months ago, gave me a hug today.  That was way weird. 

Didn’t really follow much news while I was away, but apparently we’re still destroying our environment (Thanks BP), what the hell Arizona, and here in Seattle we’re still arguing about light rail and public transportation (Guys, trust me, this train business is brilliant). Weird.

Non-stop to Seattle, here we come!

Our last night in Tokyo has been nothing short of quintessential.

• Massage
• Conveyor belt Sushi
• Senso-ji Temple - Round 2
• Hostel
• 3 trains and a lot of stairs with 50lbs of luggage

It has been a great trip but I'm ready to be in the comforts of my own bed, a real shower and to see all your smiling faces! 


Now for a good night's sleep on the top bunk....

Real Vacation

It's been officially 2 days of real vacation, and by real vacation I mean eating, sleeping and not moving.  Here's what we've done:

+In 24 hours Julie and I ate an entire Paula Dean pumpkin pie that Sara baked from scratch.  Judge all you want.  Plus, she just put a pecan pie in the oven.  Mmmmm...

+Naked time at the onsens.  Check your body image issues at the door, get naked with a couple other naked Japanese women, soak in 108 degree hot spring water and relax.  Today's onsen had a heated outdoor pool that looked over a pond and a waterfall.  Hot bath, cold bath, sauna, scrub down, repeat. It's good for your muscles, joints, skin.  Genius.

+Read The Reader. Wasn't impressed. 

+I got the final Jeopardy! question right tonight. The correct question:  Who was Lord Byron? I was even impressed with myself considering I loathe (most) poetry with most of the fibers of my being. 

+Went bowling, maybe strained my right bicep with an 8 lb ball. Note to self: start lifting weights as soon as possible. 

+Shopping:  Too bad the American dollar is in the crapper and everything is outrageously expensive so we've been to several 100 yen stores.

+Had a lengthy conversation with Brother-in-Law about his job as a fighter pilot, moral implications and the eventual obsolete-ness of war, and the media's representation of the military.  Very interesting.

Tomorrow we have massages scheduled before making the trek back to Tokyo for our last day in Japan.  It's probably good we're leaving soon before I get too used to this.  Pie, massages, facials, shopping, what isn't to love?

Japan Rocks My Socks

After 3 bullet trains totaling 6.5 hours combined with a prior 10 days of serious traveling and sleeping/showering in hostels, we have arrived safe and sound to the luxuries of modern Western amenities of my sister's house in Misawa, Japan. A hot shower, a real towel, clean clothes, a cup of tea and some chocolate does wonders for the mind, body and soul.  My sister is the hostess with the mostest baking gluten-free banana bread and providing us with all the necessary supplies for manicures and facials.  I feel like a new woman.

While I will do an appropriate vaca-recap upon my return, here a just a few of the sights we've seen, things we've done, foods we've eaten, etc.

I have no clue what the name of this is but it was pretty freakin' sweet.

Imperial Gardens and Castle in Tokyo

In the cable car up to Mt. Fuji viewing area

Maybe I ate a black egg.  Maybe it was delicious.

Oompas at Mt. Fuji...promise it's there.

No vaca is complete without ice cream!

Cherry Blossoms = gorgeous

Guess which bag is mine?

Torri Gates in Kyoto

Huge Buddha in Kyoto

"Golden Pavilion" in Kyoto

World's Largest Buddha, Nara, Japan

We've got a few more days of adventures ahead of us before we make the long journey home.  Can't wait to see you all!

Love,

Cara-san

Zen Master Travelers/Walkers

Well, we are on day 9, maybe 10?, and we have now achieved the level of zen master travelers/walkers.  We have been all over this country from the top of Mt. Koya in Koya-san through the port city of Osaka and have spent a couple days here in Kyoto taking in the sights and food. Here are some highlights:

• Julie ordered sushi for lunch today - it came with a bowl of a couple hundred tiny fish with eyes staring at her.  She could not eat the poor critters.  Can you blame her?
• I ate beef today for the first time in quite a while.  It was delicious and did not kill me.
• The night on Mt. Koya with the monks was quite the experience. It was also below freezing.  With our propane heater we couldn:t decide if we were going to freeze to death or be gased to death.  We survived but I have not been that freezing cold in quite a long time.
• Julie also thought it to be a great idea to walk through the Buddist graveyard at sundown.  Let:s just say our walk out was a tad faster than the stroll in. 
• Not gonna lie, I:m a big fan of the onsen, bars where you can wear slippers, visiting museums where you wear no shoes and Inari sushi.  Big fan. 
• We spent the better part of a day trying to remember the name of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle master that our tour guide had a striking resemblence; Master Splinter in case you were curious. 
• Last night the "house band" sang int he bar downstairs. Our favorite Japanese weve met to date works at the reception desk and is also the guitar player in the band.  He maybe stole our hearts.   
• I:ve been taking som pretty serious allergery meds, that I can only take at night.  This means I:ve been getting a solid 10 hours of sleep.  With all the fresh air, exercise and meds, I am out like a light, all night, and it feels so good. 

I can:t find the apostrophe on this keyboard so forgive me.  I work with what I got.

Tomorrow we head north to Misawa, near the northern tip of the main land of Japan to chill with the sister.  I am so looking forward to it.  Some rest and relaxation will do this body good.

Love and Hugs to everyone.  Miss your guts.

-Cara-san

Nobigdeal

Tomorrow we head to Koya-san, to stay the night at a Buddist temple with monks. It will involve 3 trains, 1 cable car ride, a bus and quite a ways on foot...with 40lbs of luggage. nobigdeal.
Please pray for us. 

(I would write more but this keyboard is Japanese and it's all I can do to find the apostrophe let alone type at any sort of speed.)

Love to you all.
C