pool weekend.

About a month ago I took a trip down to Sacramento to meet up with a bunch of friends. This crew and I try to get everyone together at least once per year somewhere new. We rent a big house (always with a pool) and catch up, cook divine feasts, and lay poolside. In years past we have gone to Palm Springs, Lake Tahoe, and Mexico to name a few. This year we decided to venture down to Sacramento to stay at Club Ito (A2's house). We had a blast as always, with many laughs, copious drinks, and a good amount of inappropriateness. I love my Cali crew.

last monday of the month.

I love the last monday of every month because it is the day my lady friends and I get together and catch up, discuss good reads, eat good food, and sip lots of vino. This month we read, Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail.

This time everyone is coming over to the Dencklau pad. 

Menu for tonight:

Tilapia with mango and avocado chutney

Spinach, green onion, and strawberry salad

Dessert: maybe some sorbet?  

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EQ versus IQ

I go to the University of Washington one three-day weekend per month. I am currently in one of those weekends. These weekends are super intense and long, but I always learn a ton and catch up with my classmates. This weekend's module is "Managing People." We've been discussing the importance of EQ (emotional intelligence) and how it may be more critical to your success then IQ.

What is your EQ? Here are some sample questions to get you started:

1 Time you're spending with an old friend seems less and less enjoyable. The two of you are drifting apart. Response:

 Quietly let the relationship die. Relationships change. People change

 Express your concerns and work it out together

 Honestly tell your friend it's just not fun any more

 Stop returning phone calls or invitations

2 A mutual friend tells you your best friend's spouse is having an affair and has proof. Response:

 It depends on the nature of your relationship with your friend

 Tell the spouse you know and give them time to confess

 Immediately tell your friend

 Stay quiet

3 Your other half has a habit that's becoming increasingly annoying. Response:

 Try making a joke about it

 Live with it. You have annoying little habits too

 Threaten to end the relationship if things don't change

 Honestly tell them what annoys you

4 You've had some lucky successes lately and a friend takes credit for it. Response:

 Ignore it. Everyone goes off the rails now and then

 Do the same thing back to your friend

 Let it go the first couple of times, but confront your friend privately after the third time

 Immediately correct that mistaken opinion

Read more: Test your emotional intelligence (EQ) | iVillage UK http://www.ivillage.co.uk/test-your-emotional-intelligence-eq

a more urban way of living?

D and I have been in the real estate market for about six months now with no avail. We have made multiple offers but the market in Seattle is in quite a bubble (as are many other cities). One house we bid on had 11 other offers. Needless to say it is super competitive out there. We are keeping our head up though and feel confident we'll find the perfect one eventually. We have been primarily looking at houses but  maybe it is time to broaden our search?  Maybe a more urban way of living? 

This one is pretty amazing. 

rude awakening.

I am currently in school studying Public Leadership and Management. In our last module we were focused on values based leadership. Basically, how to lead authentically leveraging your ethical and personal value characteristics. One quick exercise we did was a personal values in practice via a ten-day assessment of six critical domains:

• Work/Professional 
• Family/Home 
• Community/Social 
• Personal Health
• Sleep/Rest
• Spiritual

I took each one of these domains and literally counted how many hours (based on a 24 hour day for 10 days= 2400 hours) I spent on activities associated with each domain. Here is what I startlingly came up with.

As seen above, work and sleep are the domineering domains in my life. Home/Family come shortly behind (lucky Darren) and personal health and social/community are merely but wedges in the pie. Spirituality didn't even make it on the graph. 

This isn't really a surprise to me BUT seeing it laid out like this did give me a new sense of awakening. I realize I'd like my graph to be a bit more balanced and am a bit more motivated now to do it.

If you feel so inclined and need an extra push to regain balance - you might try this exercise out. 

red dress.

I am on the hunt for the perfect red dress. With many weddings to go to this year I need a versatile dress I can dress up and down. With the right accouterments I think a red dress can fit every occasion. Here are some ideas. 

I love the classic style. 

This one you could really dress up or down.

I love the back on this one.

I love these necklaces.

 Don't forget about a hat.

back in the saddle.

The month of July, let's be honest the last half of July, I have 

 finally been feeling the absolute need to get in shape. I have wanted to feel this for a year now but am convinced I subconsciously gave myself a year off after the wedding (let's just admit there may be legitimacy to the 'ol urbane legend freshman 15 newlywed 15). So now it is time to get back in the saddle.  To commiserate celebrate, Darren and I took a mountain bike ride today. It was MUCH better than last weekend's mountain bike ride, which turned out to be torturously steep and rocky. This ride was smooth with lots of loopty loos, moderate climbs, and laughs. It was tons of fun-and not so bad hanging with my favorite partner in crime. 

very first blog!

I have wanted to create a blog for years! Today i start my very first blog. My objective is to keep family and friends abreast of my days and doings, express my interests, likes and dilikes, and basically indulgently ramble. If you feel so obliged feel free to follow my blog and see what you think.