Do you like surprises?
Planners generally don't like surprises. I plan my weeks well in advance, including who I'm having lunch, dinner, and coffee breaks with. [Ok, I'm kidding about the coffee breaks] I also build itineraries when I travel to new places...in Excel...and color coded by public transportation routes. But not to worry, I also include a 'free time' column to do unplanned exploration. ;)
I've learned though that this type of behavior can drive others crazy. I'm trying to let loose. This week, I went to lunch with a friend at the last minute. Exciting, I know! And there definitely are some surprises that are good surprises. Like when they are the perfect, little gifts that friends give because they know I'll love it. That's a great surprise.
But then I suppose, that's a planned surprise...
What's your musical horoscope? (Put your music player on shuffle and write down the first 10 songs that come up.) Inspired by Stephanie.
1. Bathroom girl - Air
2. Odalisque - The Decemberists
3. The Ocean Breaths Salty - Modest Mouse
4. Shoplifters for the World - The Smiths
5. Plans - Bloc Party
6. Cure for Pain - Morphine
7. Intergalactic - Beastie Boys
8. It's a Fire - Portishead
9. Timido - Ozomati
10. Too Marvelous for Words - Frank Sinatra
I went down to Monterey this weekend. It's been years since I've gone. Sounds like a wonderful idea doesn't it? At first it was hard to remember why it is that I never go. It's only 2 hours away - that's just a hop, skip, and jump from San Francisco. But I had this nagging feeling that I was forgetting something very particular.
Well, that two hours turned into almost four with the weekend traffic. When we finally reached Seacliff, nothing but gray skies for as far as the eye could see. Bleh. It all came back pretty quickly.
Except for the aquarium, I pretty much hate Monterey. Yep.
We went often when I was little, it was always cold and drizzly. And one way or another, I would be dressed inappropriately for the weather. As if that torture wasn't enough, my parents would force me to walk up and down the strip bordering Cannery Row looking at wind chimes, owl figurines, and golf clubs. Can you imagine?
Wind. Chimes.
The visit to the aquarium itself was rather pleasant. Not much has changed though the price has gone up. There is a great white shark but it's rather small. Most people couldn't tear their eyes away from the tuna swimming around it. They were HUGE. I wish the giant octopus hadn't been in hiding, that would have been awesome to see.
hello kitty bling
What are your personal memories of September 11th?
It was early, I was making breakfast and reading over work documents. My ex called and asked me to turn on the news. His voice was shaky and strained. I watched the tv in disbelief, feeling stunned and confused, silenced by the images in front of me.
Then I was on the phone trying to get ahold of college friends; a few of them lived only several blocks from the WTC buildings. I knew it was futile to make attempts at contacting them, but I continually hit redial as I ran out of the house to my car. No one had sent anything from the office, so I went to work searching for others. I think I just wanted to be surrounded by people, to be comforted by my daily habits.
I spent the next two days in angst, until Margie and Jasmin were able to send emails to everyone. Margie's boyfriend worked at the bottom floor of one of the towers. He was alive and she had been in Jersey when it happened. Jasmin's loft windows blew out, but thankfully she had left early for work. I can't even fathom what could have happened if she had been at home.
***
I want to believe that something so significant really does change you forever. And maybe it does for some period of time, but how long before you just kind of forget and move on?
What's your middle name? Is there a story or history behind it?
It's my mother's maiden name. I guess she wanted the our family name to live on. My first name is in two parts and people are always asking if the second part is my middle name. But I've actually turned the second part into my first name.
Get it?
My full name: Khanh Kim Phuong Nguyen. And in Vietnamese, names are said backwards so it's actually "Nguyen Phuong Kim Khanh". All the kids in elementary school used to call me "King Kong", so I decided to go with Kim, which eventually evovled into Kimmie.
Makes perfect sense, eh?
If you could write a book about anything, what would it be about?
My mother. And about the journey that mothers and daughters take, especially between those of first and second generation children and their parents.
I've actually started on it. Though it's currently in the format of crumpled paper and partially filled journals. We've had our share of ups and downs, and to this day we struggle with even the simplest of things. But that's not to say we don't love each other dearly. It's just that love and understanding don't necessarily go hand in hand in my family. I imagine it'll all come together when she's no longer here. By then there will be a lot that I'll want to say and not be able to...
What is your favorite way to relieve stress?
There are so many great ways to relieve stress, but I don't do enough of any of them. That's probably why I run around with clenched fists all the time. I like running, reading, listening to music (jazz or ambient), having a glass of wine, and laughing. Lots of laughing. My absolute favorite though is yoga.
Nothing like being inverted in downward facing dog to make your worries go away.
