Sunset on San Francisco Bay

Weekend attire when it’s January in San Francisco: 2 sweaters (and 1 is optional) + open-toe shoes.

ucresearch:

Here’s an outtake photo (c. 1989) from the installation of the Cray Y-MP supercomputer at Lawrence Livermore National Lab.

Seymore Cray’s first supercomputer, the Cray 1, debuted in 1976 at another UC-run National lab Lab, Los Alamos.  It weighed 10,500 pounds.  It had 1 MB of memory and more speed (80 million computations in one second) than any other computer in the world.    

These supercomputers may not seem as impressive today (especially compared to smartphones), but it was a huge asset for scientists.  They used the machines to crunch through large data sets and solve problems too large for standard machines.

Amazing that a smartphone today would have more computing power than this thing.

Sidenote: That is how I must look when I try to fix something in my apartment or even just go digging to find something I put away months ago.

"Elephants with too much junk in the trunk get a fat farm" - favorite Wall Street Journal headline.

I didn’t really make any New Years resolutions but I did want to use January as a chance to re-set and put myself on track for the rest of the year. Why is this important to me? Well the past year and a half has been full of big changes (finishing grad school, moving, starting a new job, getting engaged/married). One ‘track’ is getting my finances in order, so this month I made extra student loan payments, set up my monthly budget spreadsheet (nerd alert), and created more online savings accounts so I could track just how close I am to buying XYZ. For the most part this is continuing a habit I’ve been cultivating for a few years now, but I like to stay mindful of this, especially as a new year starts. And it feels good to know I’m filling my own tip jar.

(Photo taken at the American Grilled Cheese Kitchen in San Francisco)

urban hiking

San Francisco.

Joe Heller

True story, Word of Honor:
Joseph Heller, an important and funny writer
now dead,
and I were at a party given by a billionaire
on Shelter Island.

I said, “Joe, how does it make you feel
to know that our host only yesterday
may have made more money
than your novel ‘Catch-22’
has earned in its entire history?”
And Joe said, “I’ve got something he can never have.”
And I said, “What on earth could that be, Joe?”
And Joe said, “The knowledge that I’ve got enough.”
Not bad! Rest in peace!”

—Kurt Vonnegut

The New Yorker, May 16th, 2005

http://www.fastcompany.com/1737273/kurt-vonnnegut-having-enough-reminder-no-asshole-rule

humansofnewyork:

"I’m wearing really plain looking underwear."

I know this guy! Check him & his music out: http://www.dandywellington.com/dwband.php

Much Appreciated Wedding Gifts

When I got married a few months ago, one of our gifts was the Campfire Kit from Brooklyn Slate Company, which has some ingredients for fancy s’mores: Baked Vanilla Marshmallows, Castleton Grafton Graham Crackers, and Mast Brothers chocolate (with sea salt). It also came with a slate board (not pictured, but quite fancy in a simple, industrial way).

It was an awesome gift because we could make an occasion of enjoying the s’mores, but also keep the board as a cool tangible thing to use in our home (and remind us of our friends). And it’s way cooler than a blender. So if you’re thinking of fun gifts to give your friends, find one that combines instant gratification with long-term substance.

"Take the compliment." Life Lessons from The Good Wife.

Why Women Should Watch The Good Wife

I admire anybody who has the guts to write anything at all.

E.B. White (via stayholden-phonyboy)

My excuse for not going to the gym is that it’s too crowded in January because of everyone’s New Year’s Resolutions (and the weather is so good in California right now that I could just run outside), but I got the Jawbone UP as a Christmas present and I’ve been wearing it to remind me to stay active. I set the alert to buzz me when I’ve been idle for 45 minutes, and I like tracking how many steps I take each day (10,000 or bust!) and how much deep sleep I got (I already knew this, but I don’t sleep as well when I’ve been drinking). It’s not quite a New Years Resolution for me, but more a commitment to taking care of myself.

Note to self.

"It isn't greedy to negotiate. Go get yours."

"It isn't greedy to negotiate. Go get yours."

heroic women

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyB7bzYRoqY?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281]
the Heroic Women


P.S. Deb Cohan’s dance video

(Source: https://www.youtube.com/)

Pretending I live at the General Store in San Francisco


[Update, 1/13] A WSJ article on the General Store concept, featuring the SF site and others

San Francisco, Succulent City

The need for perfection and comparison isn’t new, it’s just been super-sized by the fact that all those images of betterment can now be garnered in one sitting at your computer.

Today’s online lifestyle industry is like being bombarded with a million different Martha Stewarts at once.

"Keeping Up Appearances"

Cartagena

Cartagena is one of the most romantic cities I’ve ever experienced.

It was founded in the 16th century and looks like a quintessential colonial town. Part of the city is preserved within stone walls built by the Spanish (to protect against pirates!) and that is the part you must visit. There are many little parks and plazas, and the buildings are all brightly colored and have bougainvillea on their balconies. You can’t help but want to take pictures everywhere.

The food is amazing. You can find cheap eats and extravagant meals, and you can’t really go wrong. We had good value/affordable meals at places like El Bistro, and went all out at places like La Vitrola and Club de Pesca. We lucked out and wandered into Club de Pesca without a reservation, then got the best table in the place. With La Vitrola, our hotel set up our reservation, and that is when I was so grateful to be in a luxury hotel with the right relationships.

For live music, we of course went to Cafe Havana, but the locals really gave us props for going to Bazurto Social Club. There are small cover prices at the clubs, but they’re much less than you would pay in NY for great music. Both clubs are well worth the trip outside the old city walls.

I’ve stayed in a few hotels in Cartagena, and the top one for me is the Hotel Charleston Santa Teresa (I wrote about it previously). But Arsenal Hotel Boutique is a close second and it’s just outside the old city walls.

So that’s Cartagena in a nutshell. If you get the chance to go, take it. You won’t regret it.

dannijo:

Ready, Set, 2014!!! #WordsOfWisdom for the New Year XxD&J

New Years resolutions: focus on January

A friend of mine shared this article & I liked the following tip, which I’d never considered before: ”Focus on making January great - forget the rest of the year for now.”

The way I see it is this lets you gain momentum while being mindful of all that you hope to accomplish. If you decide on some goals and accomplish them in the first month of the year, you’ve done well. For me, January will be a time to set myself up nicely to accomplish things later in the year.

New Years resolutions: focus on January

gq:

"Monetary success is not success. Career success is not success. Life, someone that loves you, giving to others, doing something that makes you feel complete and full. That is success." - James Avery

Rest in peace Uncle Phil

My coffee table today, 1/1/14.

It’s a work in progress, just like me, and I suspect like many of us.

So let’s continue working at it all in 2014.

Happy New Year!

susannhoffmann:

My 2 cents concerning the new year.

edit: What the …? tumblr radar? 300+ notes? You kidding me?!

edit#2: Okay, at 500 notes my heart stopped for a sec, and at 1000 I fainted. THANKS SO MUCH, FELLOW CHEESE-LOVERS!