Jason's Daily Notes

Happy New Year!

I'm at home in LA, have been here for nearly two weeks now. I've been helping my mom a lot with things (since she only has use of one arm now).

Today, our new kitchen cabinets arrived. I spent several hours assembling it. It was exhausting, because many of the screws did not have pre-drilled holes in the wood, forcing me to push heavily with my arm. I may be even more sore tomorrow. (My legs are still sore from Sunday's hike to the Hollywood Sign.)

I've been texting with Daniel regularly. He misses me, and I can tell he's excited to come here. I guess I'm in a relationship now (?).

I am trying to start the new year off by staying busy and building productive habits. I guess that can be my resolution, to be more disciplined with my time management.

I also have a promising new project! I'll be consulting to help build a marketing/customer acquisition plan. Super excited and impressed by how easily it was to get this project. Definitely looking forward to doing more freelance work soon.

Monday 17 September
Back to work. The roads in Emeryville are being paved, and so the bike stations are also closed. This means I'm taking Lime scooters to/from the office.

Left work and got home early (5:15pm) and I DIDN'T HAVE MY KEY. It wasn't in my pocket, not in my backpack.

FUCK. I LOST MY KEY. And my phone was low on battery (18%). I texted my roommates; Evelyn was still in Mexico. Alex would be back around 7-8pm, so I had a few hours to kill. I'd wander and listen to podcasts until my battery died.

I texted Dan and he was on the bus (conveniently) about to pass me. So we met up. and

Tuesday 18 September
Work actually went well. I'm learning to work better with Allie and Jensen (gradually letting go of my defensive/combative attitude toward them and trying to be more collaborative). I'm noticing them be more friendly toward me too.

There was a Cal Young Alumni meetup in San Francisco after work. I went and chatted with a few people. Met a girl originally from China, and another girl with her fiancee who is originally from Antwerp. We connected and they were impressed by my international history. Was alright, but definitely reminded me that I'm not 22 anymore!

After that, I was biking home but saw that Jorge was in the city. I texted him and we met for a drink in Castro at The Mix. He had been in a bike accident (his dog Dexter had pulled him down) and he had dislocated his finger and broken a ligament - ouch!). He's scheduled to go into surgery at the end of the week.

Wednesday 19 September
Made a copy of the spare house keys at the key machine in Safeway.

Couldn't find a lime scooter so I Go-biked to MacArthur.

I stayed in and did not drink (for once)

Thursday 20 September
I decided to text/message a lot of people whom I haven't heard from in a while. It feels good to reach out to people and maintain a relationship! Especially for me, because I have so many people in my life that I can often lose sight of.

Went to Hi Tops in the evening, met David N. there. Ran into Henry and his friend Nate there, too. Ended the night with a Super Duper burger and fries, biked home. I felt bloated.

Friday 21 September
Woke up feeling warm - my room had retained a lot of heat somehow. Maybe it's the dark curtains in the morning? It's sunny, and I was listening to Earth Wind and Fire's "Septemeber". Mood elevated.

Took BART to MacArthur and walked in to the office. Took care of a few small things; but since it's only 5 of us today, it's a pretty chill day. Lunch at Drake's.

I'm back in the office; it's Tuesday morning, but feels like a Monday thanks to yesterday being Labor Day.

I was in Chicago and Michigan for the long weekend. Chicago for 2 days, where I stayed with Matt G and hung out with Sam. In Michigan, I was camping at a gay campsite (Campit) with Jacob and his bf James. I also went to dinner with James's friends Cassie and her family (parents Sally and Todd) and friends (Christie and husband DJ). What a great weekend!

Thursday
My flight left SFO around 9:45am, so I had to be up and out the door by 7:30. It was an easy flight, I listened to podcasts and started reading a new book (The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck). I landed at MDW at 4pm. I had plenty of time before I was scheduled to meet Matt (around 9pm) so I got on the CTA Orange Line (having bought a $20 3-day pass). I went downtown, getting off at Roosevelt and walked around the museum area near the waterfront (Field Museum, home to Sue the T-Rex) and the Shedd Aquarium.

I had a few hours and noticed that there was a Couchsurfing meetup in the Ukrainian Village, so I went to that. On the way, I had a Chicago style hot dog at Fatso's Last Stand. I met Yakov, and soon joined Vanessa and Lesya. Later, Paul also joined us. We chatted for a bit - beers were only $2!

Matt was running a little late, so I waited for him at the Willis Tower and he expensed an Uber to take us home. He lives in the north (Rogers Park); we went for drinks at the nearby pub The Glenwood.

Friday
Woke up to the sound of Matt working; he was working from home in his living room (he lives in a 3rd story walk-up apartment building and has a bedroom, kitchen, and living room!).

I wandered off; walked to the beach, found some young guys on Grindr from the nearby university, then hopped on the Red Line to walk around Wrigley Field. Then, I met up with Sam, who had just arrived in Chicago the night before having driven 10 hours each day from California. We went to Lou Malniati's for an iconic Chicago deep dish. We then walked around Millennium Park and took the Chicago Architecture Boat Tour, which was a great way to spend the afternoon. Then, we went to Andersonville where we ate at the Hopleaf, and where we met Matt. Even though it was not supposed to rain, a heavy thunderstorm moved over as we were about to leave, so we stayed for another drink before parting ways with Sam. Matt and I then went to drop off my stuff at his apartment, then we went to a pub for pre-wedding drinks with his friends Matt Jack and Andrew Burch. We had a few drinks and chatted, then we were tired and just went home (i.e. no Boystown).

Saturday
I had to leave early (8am) to be able to pick up my Turo rental car from the near South Side. But some thunderstorms were passing over so I waited a little bit and was delayed; also, the Orange Line was running on one track, so I didn't arrive there until 10. It was a 2011 Corolla with not many extras, but it worked. I got on the road, stopping by Dunkin Donuts before leaving Chicago, and listening to several episodes of Up and Vanished (my current podcast obsession) before crossing into Michigan, where I got lunch in New Buffalo. I then continued to the campsite. The rain had let up, and Jacob and James had already set up the tents. I met them at the main visitor center.

We had dinner plans, so as we were trying to figure out rides (knowing that we'd be drinking), James' friends and their family came to pick us up - in two cars! Jacob and I rode with Christie and her husband DJ. We drove into town (Douglas) and had several bottles of wine at Borrowed Time. We also played some corn hole, which I totally suck at.

Then to Sal and Todd's house, where we had an amazing steak dinner with plenty of delicious sides, plenty more wine, and a good amount of smoking. It was starting to get late, so we somehow were able to call a Lyft to drive us back to the campsite. There was the nighttime swim, which ended as more thunderstorms rolled in. So we wandered and made some friends and literally hung out until 5am. Drenched with rain storms back to our tent.

Sunday
Woke up around 10:30am. Showered and got some breakfast. Hung out in the pool most of the afternoon; it was sunny and great. We had thought to go to the Dunes resort, but it just didn't work logistically. Jacob wanted to stay in the pool, so we then James and I went to dinner at Sal and Todd's (I got us a taxi). Dinner was amazing again. I'm glad to have made a new friend in Cassie.

Monday
My flight was at 12:55, so I had to leave the campground by 9am. I showered and bought James and Jacob breakfast and said my goodbyes. Then I drove on, having a McGriddle from McDonalds along the way and returning the car. It was hot and humid in Chicago, I was melting as I waited for my Lyft. But I made it to Midway just in time; the security line was thankfully not long at all (I'm glad I don't have to take electronics out of the bag, slightly uncomfortable at the dog sniffing, and frustrated I don't have my TSA Pre-Check yet). The flight was smooth, considering how many thunderstorms there were across the route. I watched more Netflix (Insatiable and One Day at a Time). 

I was obviously exhausted when I arrived back in San Francisco. Our new roommate, Helena, had moved in over the weekend. Alex wasn't back from Burning Man yet. I cooked pasta and fell asleep at 9:30pm.

Tuesday
I feel refreshed this morning, energized from my trip. I also feel more grateful to be living my life in San Francisco; I appreciate the people I have in my life and my coworkers and all the opportunities that I have. I'm truly lucky and feel so empowered to live my life.

I also have avoided looking at work emails or messages for almost the entire weekend. Until now, that is. Ok, off to work!

I'm about to leave to Chicago. I'm excited; definitely in need of a vacation.

Work has been going along; I'm happy with my workload, but I'm not getting along with my coworkers. It's like there's an invisible wall between us that even I can't break down. The idea of going out with them for a drink outside of work is cringe-worthy. They don't respond to my humor; they generally just like to complain about things and that negative energy affects how well I can respond to things. I'm not planning on quitting anytime soon, however. It's a good job and I'm happy with the responsibilities that I have.

Yesterday: Last night I went to meet Priscilla, who was visiting SF for a work conference. I met her at the Thirsty Bear to pick up two wristbands (she can't use them to go to the party tonight, so I'm giving them to Evelyn). I met her coworkers, Rusty (?) the dancer and John the talkative, gregarious manager. There was also Ryan, the attractive young rep from Box. I left them as they went into the Gold Room.

My health is good. I've been going for my runs every 2 to 3 days. My lower back pain/bruise is gone, but there is some lingering discomfort throughout the length of my back, which may be due to sleeping in awkward positions.

My social life is steady. I have a very wide circle of acquaintances here in SF, but no real close friends that I see every week. I am sort of dating-ish(?) Daniel. As in I see him every week and he's excited to see me (this past weekend, he was house sitting Bill and Curtis' place in the Castro). I don't know if anything serious will come of it, he doesn't have social media which doesn't match well with who I imagine myself being with (I want to become more connected and up to date with the world).

Living situation: I have fully moved all my stuff into my new bedroom. Helena should be getting the keys to move in tonight. Had a little disagreement with Evelyn over a $6 difference in rent, but it'll settle down over time. I have started looking at apartments in Oakland, and it looks like if I want my rent to stay around the same rate ($1200) I should get a 2-bedroom apartment and find a roommate. But I'd also want laundry and access to BART (or a parking spot), which increases the rent. Plus, the idea of moving all my stuff is daunting. My new room is good and spacious, and I'm in the action in the city, so I should enjoy it for some time.

Resolution progress: I finished a book last night (Unstoppable by Anthony Robles). And I've stayed off Reddit on my phone. Not the most ambitious month, but I did start off injured, so I needed the rest. Plus, continuing several of my past resolutions (using GoBike, running, kickball) has been keeping me occupied. For September, I think I'll delete all my dating apps. I also want to make a video diary each day (and either post to Snapchat, IG, or combine them all and upload to YouTube). So let's see how that goes. It'll be challenging because I'm traveling for most of the first half of the month (Chicago and Seattle). I may also re-join improv. I also want to control my spending (below $3000) as that has definitely creeped up lately.

Family: Mom is good at home; she does exercises occasionally. No complaints about Uncle Ben.

The world is in the same weird spot as always. There was a shooting in Florida over the weekend (at a gaming tournament). A hurricane almost hit Hawaii. John McCain died. The investigation into Russia-Trump continues. Chaos in Australia's political system.

The weather is still chilly in SF. Fogust has been strong. I'm happy to be in Chicago and wearing shorts. I have weirdly been getting allergies, similar to what I've had in LA during September. Climate change, perhaps? Or has my body just developed a histamine response to SF's allergens?  (Daniel said that this happens the second year you live in a city.)

--

Ok time to head off to the airport and onward to Chicago - bon voyage to me!

Me
I'm doing ok. I think my social life is healthy outside of work. My back is still sore, almost 2 weeks after my car-bike accident. I hope it heals and it's nothing permanent. It's sore whenever I bend over forwards. And part of the bruise is looking worse than ever. Otherwise, I feel healthy.

Family
I just called mom; she's doing ok. She's exercising and trying to stay healthy. I'll see her on Thursday night when I fly to LA.

Friends
Bonded with the roomies last night. We had interviewed a candidate to move in (Martin) and then just ended up hanging out until midnight.
I'm excited about this weekend - a surprise! :)
I should contact more friends. Antonis is moving to a new job in Berlin.

Work
My work life is getting stressful (even though it's all my fault basically!). I was upset today about the fact that I'm excluded from the production of our new video (via YouTube director). Jensen asked me to take my phone call outside.
I needed a break, so I'm now at Peets in the Emeryville Public Market. A little time and a little distance helped me.

Society / News
Apple is now worth a trillion dollars. Pres Trump is a bigoted anti-immigrant idiot. Manafort is on trial. Fires are burning across northern California. There was an earthquake in Indonesia (Lombok, near Bali).

]

Happy New Month!

It's chilly in the Bay Area - or at least in SF and Oakland. Temperatures barely getting above 16°C (61°F).

I haven't decided what my August resolution(s) will be. Nevertheless, it's useful to look back at July and what I've learned from it:

• Running every morning is a good habit for me. It's easy for me to do it before work in the mornings. I feel more energetic overall. People have noticed that I am a bit more in shape too.
• I didn't blog every day. I could try to do this during August.
• Donating every day became more of a chore (especially when I needed to research the charity each day). I'm happy to give back, but I think I'd rather just give once a week or month. And I'd give a bigger amount with each donation ($25-50).
• I didn't really miss being off Instagram as much, especially after I also deleted Snapchat.
• After working on myself for so many months, I would like to focus more on my relationships with other people. Maybe really try to get myself into a serious romantic relationship.
• Probably easier for me to start with my existing friends - I should reach out to a friend every day that I haven't talked to.
• Or even focusing on my friendships and work relationships. I think that in the last few years, my "don't give a fuck" attitude has come off more as asshole-ness. So I'd like to be considerate of others while still not caring so much about myself.
• On a related note, I should not react to news/events so emotionally. This will be a challenge. But if I can keep a calm mind in stressy situations, I'll be good.
• Also I could challenge myself financially - try to spend less in general. (Although, I'm generally good with saving and my current income level)

Yesterday after work, I had plans to meet CJ. He had texted me,

"Just got out of a good job interview, need to celebrate was gonna grab a beer somewhere"

And I said, "yes" - so plans were made. We were to meet at the bar called Small Wonder in uptown Oakland.

As I was biking there, going down San Pablo Ave, a car that I thought was turning left continued straight and plowed into me. I was knocked onto the hood of the car and then fell to the ground. I fell on my lower right back and took the brunt with my elbows and wrists.

I was shaken. He said "why didn't you stop? I didn't see you" and I said the exact same thing right back to him.

Whatever. I didn't want to deal with this - I wasn't bleeding. My head was spinning slightly. I got on my bike and continued to downtown Oakland.

I met CJ and hung out. I tried to keep my mood up but I was clearly feeling uncomfortable. I switched seats from the window bench to the chair he was sitting on. We finished our drinks and walked back to 19th St BART and parted ways.

I went home, buying some antiseptic (Hydrogen Peroxide) at Walgreens. I soaked in the bathtub for a bit (cleaned the sink too) and then went to rest in my bed. I had plans to meet up with Henry H and James T but I decided it best to simply rest at home. I watched videos on my phone (Evil Genius) and ate cereal, watching GLOW until nearly midnight.

I tried to sleep on my side but fuck it, I turned on my back. The sharpness of the pain was only temporary.

I woke up, skpped my run. Ate some yogurt with my coffee, and decided to come to work. I had two phone calls (SEO proposal and an intro with our Amazon EDI integration. It was only me, Brad, David, and Oliver who went to lunch at Wally's cafe.

This afternoon was useless - I've been texting guys on Grindr and called Kaiser to make an appointment (for Monday).

Ok time to go home. And meet Henry. And then go to my kickball team's night drinking.

--
Also found this while browsing Quora:

Woke up 7am. Went for a run, 2km.

Refilled my prescription. Checked my insurance. Called the dentist and booked an appointment - tomorrow at 7:30am! Made an iced coffee. Showered, keeping Packed some bandanas (for Ken's bday tonight) and strawberries/yogurt with me.

Rushed to work, was a little behind schedule. There was a Lime scooter available, so I took that in to the office, arriving at 9:33. (Peralta Ave is under construction and is really bumpy!).

Not many meetings today, but still a lot to stay on top on - keeping our spend (on Google, Bing, FB) under control. Submitting ASNs to Amazon.

Afternoon, things slow down. I snack on pistachios and cheez-its at my desk. I want to have food in my stomach before I start drinking tonight (for Ken's bday).

Health: Good. I feel less tired overall, likely because of the exercise I've been getting. My hair is growing through medium length now, so it's starting to be awkward and can get frizzy. I want to grow it longer, but I can definitely see why people say I look better with short hair. I've refilled my Prep and have a dentist appointment tomorrow, so I'm taking care of myself.

Family: I haven't heard from them since Monday night; but my mom and uncle seem good. Tito Alan messaged me on Facebook and said he'll be in San Jose next month; so we may very well meet up. (sending him a response now).

Friends: Going to Ken M's birthday tonight; will likely see the group there (Tae, Walls, Greg, Jesse). Also Marc whom I've apparently met at a meetup before but have also matched with on Tinder. Awkward? Let's find out...

News: This "trade war" with China (and the rest of the world)... ugh. Demo Lovato in the hospital for a heroin overdose. And a shooting yesterday morning in the Mission. Fires in Greece have killed over 80. And a heat wave is holding Europe in its persistent grip.