will invest in FasTrak pass in BA ...

Steve in Emeryville had a great comment re: bridge toll ... he wrote:

Forget the stash of ones. Invest in a FasTrak pass for your car- www.bayareafastrak.org

So ... I learned something new. I will be getting my decal for my hybrid (which I have had since March 2001) that is named "IceT" after Toyota's color "aqua ice opalescent" ...

and I see that for my ReLo, the Bay Area has something special for Hybrids - solo hybrid drivers can use the carpool-only lanes on the 4 bridges with FasTrak.

"In the Bay Area, a special hybrid-only FasTrak™ transponder is also required."
I am thinking I'll still just get my decal (for my remaining SoCal days). Then when my residency status changes to Alameda County, I'll fill out more paperwork and eventually get the transponder.

i'll gladly pay bridge toll ...

... to get from Point A to Point B in the BA.

In SD, I haven't paid a bridge toll since the SD-Coronado Bay Bridge stopped collecting toll (06/27/02).

In the BA, I'll have that stash of $1 bills for the 7 (of 8) bridges I'm sure to cross --- Dumbarton, San Mateo-Hayward, SF-Oakland Bay Bridge, Golden Gate, Richmond-San Rafael, Carquinez, and Benecia-Martinez. (I don't expect to cross the Antioch ... I didn't even know it existed!)

bye scud ...

Just a little place on the web
to say "bye" to Scud ...

he's the bassador (basset hound / lab mix) that lived downstairs with Matt & Marlena, and every once in a while, he hung out in my office. Bye Scud ... !

on my FM dial-102.9

I won't need to reprogram!

• In SD ... I can listen to "radio recuerdo 102.9" to get my local/Spanish music fix
• In BA ... I can (and will) listen to "the quiet storm 102.9" (or tormenta reservada, according to the Google language tool, for whatever that is worth in this case).
  

KBLX! How glad I am that you stream!?

color & texture in both places

A variety of cultures, foods, music, entertainment, etc. - y'just gotta get out & about.

When I move back up ... I am looking forward to the color & texture in the Bay Area. Having grown up in the Bay Area - lived there since 3rd grade - I have always enjoyed the awesome variety of cultures!

It took a while for me to find ... but SD has variety ... When I moved to San Diego in 1991, I felt like something was missing. It took me a little while to discover the color & texture (and still searching for more to experience) with which I had become accustomed while living in the Bay Area.

Below is a pic of a typical block on El Cajon Blvd (in the 40th blocks). This afternoon I was craving Vietnamese food (Pho, to be specific) and was pretty certain I'd find a good place on El Cajon Blvd ... and then I noticed the block and other nearby blocks had that color and texture.

(kind of hard to see ... fr: L to R - mexican, ethiopian, central american (tho' not quite a food place), french ... and not pictured but to the right of the french bakery - vietnamese ... you'll have to trust me on that)

Anyway, when I am back up in the BA, I'm sure to enjoy the color & texture, once again!

(how fun is this pic!? - somewhere in the Mission)

caught wi-fi squatting in SD

My picture was taken a few times by a gal writing an article on wi-fi equipped coffee shops.

I am at my favorite coffee house - Influx ... sitting in a little corner of the coffee shop - laptop on, blackberry adjacent, project work sprawled, and (most importantly) coffee within arms length.

a corner with a view ...

..."slighlty" angled pic of the Influx entrance from Broadway.

(BTW, their sandwiches, salads and pastries are GREAT!)

Anyway, don't know if she'll use any of the pictures she took this morning.

If she does, then I have my R|CAT baseball cap to thank for succesfully dealing with my "pseudo-bad hair day".

As far as after the ReLo, in addition to the wi-fi capability of whatever hotel I will stay at when in San Diego, Influx will be my on & off SD office. It's so convenient at 20th & Broadway --- easy access to key places - Downtown, Hwys 5 / 94 / 163, and the airport.

RESOURCE FOR WI-FI LOCATIONS ... Regarding wi-fi (aka HotSpot) locations, I usually rely on a web-based resource that cnet has from jiwire. There are other resources, such as Wi-Fi Planet and Free Wi-Fi Spots. But because jiwire has had Paddy's place listed for quite some time, I've bonded with jiwire. Point is - as part of my ReLo and just for general work out-and-about town or when on travel, I make a point to find out where (free) wi-fi squatting is offered. And if great coffee is served - that's even better!

in search of shock!

AIRPORT POWER OUTLETS or lack thereof ...

I've started flying back & forth to the Bay Area to prepare for my ReLo. Later on the purpose of my recent trip.

GOAL WHILE AWAITING BOARDING ... a power outlet - ANY AVAILABLE outlet in Terminal 1 of the Oakland airport! (I have Terminal 2 already scoped out!)

JUICE for the flight ... I found an available outlet! I powered up to be sure I'd have enough juice for the less than 1.5 hour trip. I'd map out where these precious outlets are located but for the fact that I cannot predict whether there will be a cranky traveler hogging the outlet! (The map would be useless. It would be like having a map of all the Peet's Coffee shops, showing up, and finding them closed --- or worse yet, finding Starbucks in its place! HA! jk, sort of.)

SHARE & SHARE ALIKE ... After being declined access (politely and not so politely) by other travelers to several outlets being used to juice up their computer and/or cell phone, I PROMISE that if you see me at the airport "plugged in", I will share (or even give up) the outlet for your use - Just ask, nicely. And if you are one of those outlet hogs and you see me coming your way with laptop in tote, you can be certain that I will ask if I can share your juice. Deny me? Sure, but please be kind.

By the way, there are outlets ... under several water fountains. Just be aware - several fountain/outlets are adjacent to a restroom entrance.

I love my SD FedEx drop-off

VITALS ... 6:30 drop-off for out-of-state; 7:30 drop off for in-state; 0.70 miles one-way; ~ 4 minutes (after printing the on-line shipment address label) from my office desk to the FedEx (staffed/Express) counter; two stop signs; no stop lights; and no hassle.

With the ReLo, when I typed my future BA digs into the Find FedEx Locations, looks like ... 6:00; 7:00; 0.95 miles; and ~ ??? minutes, ???stop signs, ???stop lights, and ??? hassle.

Hopefully, I will have a no hassle love affair with my BA FedEx drop-off!

Cal Bear Buddy Brings Book to Bear (soon!)

Tangent for today ... I got a great comment from Jengyee. (L) She asked "If you feel inspired to create an intern-specific blog, I wanted to ask your permission for me to include a link to it from my book website (TBA next month-ish). I know your site would be fun."

Well, I'm flattered and will totally consider doing so!

(By the way, that stylish orange sticker ... we took the San Diego "Old Town Trolley Tour". It was pretty decent even with San Diego's June Gloom.)

Meanwhile, I wanted to share with you all the foreword I wrote for Jengyee's first "soon-to-be-available, next-month-ish" book. From the foreword (below), hopefully you will appreciate what she has to offer. Enjoy!

(excerpt from "Hello Real World!")

FOREWORD

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference."
- Robert Frost

When Jengyee reminded me that I offered to write this Foreword, less than one year had passed since our cathartic telephone call. I had encouraged her to write about her experience. As a result, Jengyee's insight for students and employers are expressed in this thoughtful and inspiring book about the internship experience (and beyond). She reminds others and me that work not only shapes one's career but also shapes one's life.

Jengyee and I met through the Student Alumni Mentorship Program at U.C. Berkeley. As an alumna, I wittingly knew that, when Jengyee chose me, I would have a captive audience for my college and career experience musings. Although our college majors differed, we expressed a similar passion about environmental issues. After several random talks about environmental-related careers, roommates, places to hang out in Berkeley, and dance places in San Francisco, our mentor-mentee talks quickly evolved into heartfelt conversations about enjoying life and making a difference in the world. It was during one conversation that Jengyee became my mentor - she inspired me to develop a formal summer internship program for my consulting practice.

What does Jengyee know about internships? She knows they can be fun, challenging, important and well worth the experience beyond building a resume. She has completed three summer internships with well-known corporations. She offers a genuine perspective - the job search process, unspoken expectations, challenges, balancing college and work life, and positive and not-so-positive events. Most importantly, she understands how an intern (and employer!) can create a formative internship experience. Because of her core value to make a difference in the world, she is sharing her perspective in this book.

So for those who have chosen to learn from Jengyee's experience, I am assured that beyond building your resume, your internship experience can and will enhance not only your career path but other parts of your life.

So the new Intern asked, "Is this o.k. to wear?"

NEW INTERN from Cal (GO BEARS!) ... Well, we have a new Intern, Amabelle, who started today. She did intern for us last winter, so I suppose she is the "not-so-new Intern" or maybe the "re-Intern". (She'll get a nickname soon enough.) Amabelle recently graduated and will be with us for the next 10-12 weeks while she also is looking for a permanent job. And hopefully we will help her with her professional development goals.

So, this morning, when I called Amabelle to let her know I would be a little late (status quo) getting back to the office from my almost-daily morning jaunt to Influx (which I will TOTALLY MISS when I move), she asked, "I have black pants, a nice shirt and a pink cardigan. Is this o.k. to wear?" I LOVE IT! She understands that there is business-appropriate attire (which is not-so-much college attire). Of course I said a resounding "YES."

(NOTE: We do not require traditional business attire, unless we have field visits, client meetings, or the like. In fact, flip-flops, man clogs, T-shirts with smart-ass designs, Velma shoes, shorts, and baseball caps for bad hair days are definitely acceptable.)

"BOOT CAMP" ... We pride ourselves as a bit of a "Boot Camp Internship" ... the experience can be a bit intense but definitely rewarding. Ask any of our previous interns - Jennifer with the thumbs up (L) or Frederick, Christina, or Margaret, a.k.a. Maggie or SL for Silver Lining. (R) Uh, the older gentleman, Jesse, is a fellow Cal Alum - not a former Intern - so don't ask him. (Actually, I've never been to boot camp, but Frederick has, so I'll ask him if we should have a different moniker.)

Anyway, tasks go beyond "Intern Work" - stapling papers, copying files, organizing supplies, making coffee, licking envelopes, running errands ... you get the picture. Also, we have 4 simple rules (and none of them deal with a dress code):

1. BE CURIOUS - Ask questions.
2. TAKE INITIATIVE - Take the initiative in meeting or talking with me (no matter how afraid you may be).
3. ORGANIZE YOUR FILES - Maintain files so that 5 years from now, someone can readily recreate/trace your steps.
4. BE PUNCTUAL - Be on time (even tho' I'm kinda lame), otherwise let us know if you are going to be late.
   

Actually, there is a 5th rule: Don't lie or come in drunk, unless you want to be known as the intern who lied or came in drunk.

AMABELLE DAY 1, the FASHIONISTA ... So far, Amabelle successfully followed the 4 rules (and I'm pretty sure she followed the 5th rule). In return, we gave her "Intern Work" - she stuffed envelopes and boxes - but all for a good cause. (I thought it would be totally cool to show our appreciation to clients, vendors, contractors, friends, family, and interns for all their support. We chose logo apparel. Nifty, eh!?) And while doing "Intern work", she sported our newly purchased corporate logo apparel! Another Cal Alum buddy, Alina of CHI Marketing Group, totally set us up with great apparel. One of our favorites - the beanie!

NoCal INTERNS after the ReLo? ... Yes, that is our intention. We will have a NoCal Intern(s) who can proudly sport one of our beanies and help keep the business going.

Otherwise, what the hell am I going to do with the 12 remaining beanies!?

Celebrating after yesterday's garage sale

GARAGE SALE FUN … Yesterday (Saturday), our little compound had a garage sale - which was preceded by the garage clean out on Friday. Matt, Garry, Scud (an awesome bassador) and I sifted through "lots o' stuff". (That's Garry with Scud.)

The garage has served as a fine haven and a functional office annex for files, office supplies, reference books, and office equipment. Moreover, the garage has served to perpetuate my packrat nature (with my 1,000+ sq. ft home office also contributing to my tchotchke paradise). With three other neighbors sharing access and storage to the garage, the challenge was met to organize and winnow the contents. (In the early spring, I will be contributing more "stuff" at the neighborhood's garage sale day. Meanwhile, the purging process has begun.)

AN APPETITE TO SPARE ... Saturday's garage sale was well worth the effort. Afterwards, Matt, Marlena (Matt's wife), and I used some of the proceeds for a great dinner at the nearby Parallel 33. By the way, when in San Diego, Parallel 33 is a “must” dining experience. The food is so tasty, and the service is wonderful. Just adjacent to Parallel 33 is a slightly nondescript blue building, which houses Blue Lotus - essentially the sister restaurant/lounge to Parallel 33 - same menu, different atmosphere. Totally check it out!

Welcome to my relocation rants & raves!

Hello!

With the encouragement of Joanne, I decided to create this blog. I met Joanne (while on one of my trips to the Bay Area) at Paddy's. Thanks much to Paddy, who owns and operates Paddy's namesake coffee shop (with wi-fi!) in Union City; he introduced us ... because of a common interest we share - an interest in writing on a particularly "fun" subject. (Maybe more on that later.)

FIRST TIME BLOGGER and BUSINESS OWNER ... This is my first blog mainly for those interested in my relocation planning and activities from San Diego to the Bay Area. (And I'm sure it will contribute to my tendency to procrastinate and provide an outlet for writing.)

I'm originally from the Bay Area - Northern California (lived there since the mid-70s). After college, I moved around California because of job opportunities. In 1991, I moved to San Diego to take a job with the utility. Since 1994, I have primarily been consulting on my own (except for a 16-month duration with a small energy consulting firm) for energy/power plant related projects on air quality and environmental issues. I'm moving back up to the East Bay in Spring 2006. I will continue to run my consulting practice when I move up north and enjoy being closer to family.

RELOCATION planning is NOT a piece of cake, but it's fun! ... I've known since the summer of 2005 that I would be moving back to the Bay Area. (There have been doubts from some friends & family, though.) So I have been planning, visualizing, goal setting, purging and doing more planning. Now I am entering the 'implementation' stage (sort of). There are the logistics to moving my home and my business, and there are the psychological and emotional aspects of planning and implementing the move. And also sprinkled in here and there are moments of ANGST.

ANGST is good ... I figure having this blog will allow me to pass along tips & tidbits, express my cathartic moments, and keep friends and family up to date on my whereabouts and on-goings.

Enjoy!