I’ve been working out, cooking, learning, hiking, traveling, meeting with old friends, and making a few new ones. It’s been an interesting 6 weeks, I freak out every 3rd week it seems and send out resumes and start thinking/talking about chucking LA for someplace else. Actually there has been a lot of introspective thoughts, trying to figure out what I want, and where that is. For the first time I feel like I can go anywhere and do anything, but I find it impossible to sell myself on one path, I’m still kind of enjoying looking at all of the paths. Looks like I’ll get at least another 3 weeks before I freak out again.
The gym was a great way to kick start the last couple weeks. I’m down an official 10 pounds and most of the time my energy levels are way up. I only lack energy during the freak out about life and the future phase. I haven’t been to the gym in 2 weeks, but I’ve been running, skiing, and using the elliptical at home.
My new hobby of cooking is a lot of fun. I’ve done steak au poivre a 3 times now, the 3rd for an audience, and it is quickly becoming my signature dish. It’s fun to light a bunch of brandy on fire while deglazing, also very showy. The rest of my recent culinary fun has been less haute cuisine: fish tacos, ravioli, breakfast dishes, salmon, and various stir-frys. Actually one of the stir-fry dishes turned out really well, and plated beautifully, shame I wasn’t camera ready. I am constantly impressed by how big of an improvement the little knowledge I was able to soak up while in the presence of a great chef, has improved all aspects of cooking.
Two weekends ago I went up to Paso Robles to meet Wendy and Nate for a wine pickup party, do a little tasting, and drop off some papers for a friend. I didn’t get a chance to visit some of my favorite wineries in the area, something I’ll have to go back and fix. Plenty more happened and yet some things didn’t happen, I hope for the best in the long run. It was a great weekend and ever since my heads been spinning a little more than usual. Also I should point out that my bocce team handed out an ass-whooping Saturday night due to some outstanding play by Leigh Ann… we won’t talk about the beach bocce score the next day (I was having a hats and gloves moment… it’s a very long story).
And because Nate, Wendy, and Leigh Ann are so much fun I headed up to Tahoe the next weekend! It’s a much longer drive than I remember. I got 2 days of skiing in, the second was the best, my skis were demoed and took a little dialing in. Anywho, day two was blue skies and sunshine mixed with great big groomers at northstar. That place is quickly becoming my favorite place to go fast on big sticks.
My friend Todd is putting himself in league with my father. http://www.beinginspace.com/shots/2007/4/5/for-karl-schwende.html
Aside from all that It’s been another introspective week, made worse (or better) by my head and heart being in a place that I haven’t let them spend any time in for years. I even dragged out my guitar, and I only ever feel that creative when I’m depressed or when my brain is spending most of it’s cycles analyzing 10 words from an email for hidden meaning and cross referencing that against her laugh at a particular moment in time. My friend Josh tells me that I’m supposed to suffer, and that I should enjoy the creative muse that accompanies this part of life. Great, no wonder I haven’t allowed myself these thoughts for so long.
Looks like I’m off to play the guitar…
there are pictures, but for some reason I can’t get the thumbnails working…
I want wine section!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!