America's Finest!

I'm sure I sound like a broken record but since I don't go to San Diego with any marked frequency I figure I can indulge myself when I do.
I freaking love San Diego.
When I got off the plane after what was a tumultuous trip* i could immediately breath in the feel and smell.

My children will never know about walking down the street and hearing eucalyptus bark sloughing off and the crunch of it under foot.


I was by myself for a training course for work. My first time traveling at all since last April, my first time flying away from either kid and my first night away from Miranda period.

I missed those guys a lot.
Andrew made me a bracelet


But I had an awesome trip.
The work stuff was so helpful and energizing. I feel like I have a much better grasp of the technology, how we might use it and importantly, how to help manage expectations around it. It was a hands on lab and it was great to do the experiments with other people and talk true logistics and work flow. It was fun brainstorming potential work flow for my company and even more fun helping others talk out their projects (always 1000X more fun to suggest experiments if you don't have to do them). The training facility was so nice and since they make all of the equipment they had every scientific toy you could imagine.
I told Michael that I would LOVE to work there. It is like being a lab TA with slightly fewer hopeless students.

Gel that you can watch in real time. Eat your heart out.


My down time was lovely too! I took a long walk in the beach each morning. Walking from my hotel through Carlsbad to the beach. Carlsbad is adorable! I didn't know. People who live by the beach are just happier people and it is a great mood booster to stroll along smiling and wishing everyone a good morning. I love seeing the old couples walking hand in hand (as the kids say #couplegoals).





I went and saw TWO movies. Moonlight and Beauty and the Beast...neither was as "out and proud" as the media had led me to believe.

I ate carne asada burritos for 2 of 3 night's dinner. And I met up with my oldest childhood friend for the third.



I wandered Target leisurely, bought a pint of B&J's and ate it in bed watching Queer as Folk on Netflix.

This trip has been a real refresh for me and I hope it sticks. I hope it will help me move on some things that are holding us back at home as far as figuring out childcare and work life balance and such. I hope I can translate the genuine enthusiasm I have about this new project at work into action.

I also feel like it is a hint to me that Michael and I should try to fit in small solo getaways for just such refresh. And one day even a couple getaway.

*travel will be a post of its own
The fog on my final morning walk



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone