4.28.2010

mcafee, inc.


my uncle is the senior v.p. of mcafee, inc. in silicon valley.  he sent out an email to our family about the announcement of their newest videos announcing the firewall enterprise V8.  it's a pretty big milestone for their company.  anyway, i thought they were worth sharing...
given that my friend kyle is in the GPS one
and then a few others were filmed in my other aunt and uncle's backyard in seattle, washington.

they are entertaining!
enjoy!

from uncle matt...
"To post to Facebook, simply click on the “link” button on your wall, paste in the URL, click “attach,” then click “share.”  The video will automatically embed for all your friends to see. 
Here are the videos.  Hopefully these will at least make you smile… 

McAfee Next Generation Firewall Spot: GPS.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tj7jK-po88k

McAfee Next Generation Firewall Spot: The Battle at Firewall.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVHF1kDzmuA

McAfee Next Generation Firewall Spot: PDA.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Z7yKZn9KtY

McAfee Next Generation Firewall Spot: The Watercooler.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbwecIOhC7M

McAfee Next Generation Firewall Overview.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqI6NLRnI1M
FYI…The URL http://www.mcafee.com/Firewall will go live in a few hours (also worth checking out).
Please share these links immediately with everyone you know. Feel free to forward.
This Firewall release is a big deal for McAfee and our customers.  We have a huge opportunity to transform the industry and give our IT organizations the protection they should expect from their firewall.  Thanks for your help!"   

4.21.2010

nothin' but love

hi readers...
whoever and wherever you are.

i am taking a break from documenting things on here.  i am in way over my head with to-do lists and so much is happening in life, that this is going to simmer on that burner in the back.

loves.
m

4.19.2010

action jackson in april so far.

jackson did it once again... another week of funny things.  i love that people like to read about him.  some think i make this stuff up and then they hang out with him and realize i forgot to mention so much more than i do on here.  i try my best to type it all out since my memory serves me as well as an old lady.

- he puts a finger over his lip to make an imaginary mustache and then talks in a low voice!  i know... totally funny.  he usually does it in the morning and often times when at the airport.

- the other day my mom found him on her white couch in the living room looking out the window with scriptures in his hand and he looks up at her and says, "mimi, i'm talking to jesus"

- we were exploring the disney website on the preschool section and a truck comes up {tow mater for those moms familiar} and he sincerely shouts, "oh mom, he is so pretty!" his love for cars lives on.

- when he wakes up he walks out of the room with a blanket over his head.  he will sometimes ask me, "mom is it christmas?"
me: no
J: "is it my birthday?"
me: no
J: "is it easter?"
me: no
J: "oh, okay."

- he makes up the most bizarre stories.  he will take one part of his day, retell that one part then it leads to getting a baby alligator, then the shark bit him and so on.  i have to tell him it's not good to make up stories but then i kick myself for not giving him credit for his imagination.  it's when those stories turn into weird, twisted, not even close stories that people would question.

- this morning he told me we don't have a real car because we need to paint eyes where the lights are and paint the rest of it red.  thank you disney.

- he asks me almost daily who i am going to marry.  thank you disney again.

- from my weekly mom emails updates of what jack should be doing, it said that this is the fearful stage.  it sure is.  he is afraid of mostly everything any kid can be afraid of.  pincher-bugs, spiders, snakes, sharks, bigger kids, mean people on his shows and the easter bunny.  its hard for me to reassure him that all of those things aren't a reason to be fearful because i harbor somewhat of a secret fear for all of them as well.

- when at the pool, he flirts with girls.  his tactics are way off... he follows them around everywhere. gets in their personal space and then splashes.  splashes.... yes. like not just a few drops, like splash after splash until the girls run to their moms and the mom gives me that look like you better keep your kid away from mine, look.  then i tell him that splashing doesn't make friends.

-  this happens daily.... i take him out of the bath, he gathers a pile of bubbles and tells me his "bubble friend" is coming with him.  he talks to the bubbles and then gets bored of it and throws it in the sink on average 10 seconds after coming out of the bath.

- he loves to be naked.  always has and still does.  i think every guy would prefer to be naked so i am grateful for jack showing me this from the beginning stages so i can understand men better.  thank you jack.

- he is still asking me for a baby sister.  i wish i could give him one so he could have someone to play with when i get boring.

- he makes deals with me.
like, "mom if i am a good boy, you can give me a popsicle" or " mom, if i am a good boy, i can play with so and so." then the second he starts to act up, i use whatever he wants to shift him right back to his goal.  works every time.

i love this little boy so much.  can't imagine my life without him.

4.17.2010

mirth

{ffffound.com}

i have been extremely happy.
like so happy it's almost stupid.

i'm always happy but right now i'm feeling great great great.
i think this quote has had me re-reading it as i have it written in the 
beginning pages of one of my favorite books:

"what we insistently desire,
overtime, is what we will eventually
become and what we will receive 
in the eternity." 
-neal a. maxwell

4.14.2010

run like a bandit

so running, yeah.


i would like to apologize to those of you that have been writing emails to me asking me about a playlist or questions for those of you that just started running.  i have to admit that i am not an amazing runner, nor have i been doing it my whole life. 


here's my average history of physical activity so far...


ballet - age 3
ballet and tap, surfing - ages 4 - 6
gymnastics, tandem surfing - age 7
jazz, tennis and softball, longboarding - age 8, 9, 10
softball, pop warner dance and cheer, longboarding - until high school
cheerleading and tumbling and running a mile a day at the least, longboarding - age 13
running daily, songleading {cheer/dance}, occasional longboarding - age 14-17
pilates, yoga, running as much as i could in college, surfing when home - age 17 - 18
taught pilates, yoga and kickboxing with minimal running - ages 18 - 21
running as much as i could, pilates, yoga - age 22
running many miles a day, ballet, hip hop, taught cycle classes + yoga + pilates + stand-up paddleboarding - 
ages 23 - until now

i don't know if anyone would be interested in that line-up but i wanted to express that i did not run on a team or in high school so i am not the best person to take advice from.  i first started to run because it helped me fit in my cheer skirts and tight dance pants.  we were always on a strict diet of running, no bubbles and no bread to help our teams stay fit. then i began to crave it.  i wasn't allowed to run outside of our gated community growing up so i had my punk songs on tape and found some amazing hills throughout the community that had me looking forward to run.  in college i stopped running so much because it was snowing most of the time and i hate gyms but knew i missed it.  when i got back from san francisco, i started to run often because it helped me get through what i was going through and allowed me to get an appetite.  i challenged my goals with adding half marathons, 5Ks, 10Ks, turkey trots, mud runs and others. 

i do know what it feels like to start running from the beginning or if it has been a while.  it's not the easiest.

so if you are brand new to running or just starting back up... here is my advice.  take it or leave it... or tell me if i am wrong because i don't mind.  i love advice or things that work best for you.

+ make time for it in your schedule. sometimes i write out my week and then figure out what times work best. if you have kids, the best time {i think} is before they wake up or if you have them in school.  you get it done, out of the way or learn to run with a stroller.

+ find places you want to run. like a path near your home, or the beach, or a high school track.  some place you can go to that makes you feel comfortable and safe.  then you can add other destinations as you become familiar with your new running program.

+ tell your friends. they will keep up on you if you have a goal to run.  tell them to ask you how much you are running if that will motivate you to not give up.  or go with your friends.  i personally don't like running with people but maybe you do?

+ buy new shoes. it will make a difference in your run.  your arches of your feet will be supported, the soles of your shoes need to be strong and comfortable.  it's hard to let go of shoes, but if you have put a lot of miles on them, buy yourself some good ones.

+ clothes. they make a difference in how you feel.  if you wear frumpy clothes, you will be a frumpish runner.  i like to run in the shortest shorts possible when it's hot and if it's cold, i like really tight pants.  i shirt that isn't too tight or a sports bra is what i usually like.  if the shirt is too tight, i feel like my skin doesn't breathe.  you can find shorts that nike makes that has the underwear inside and flowy shorts that are short to assist your speed.  if it was normal or right to run in bathing suit bottoms i would but don't.

+ proper form.  i know so many things to remember. click here to read more.

+ breathe.  it helps so much to breath the correct way.  in through your nose and out through your mouth. nothing seems worse next to rolling your ankle as getting cramps from bad breathing.  a lot of us shallow breathe which is quick inhales and quick exhales but it you allow yourself to slow down with your lungs taking in about 3 second inhales, and 5 second exhales... it can help.

+ don't give up. some people start running, find out that they don't like it, or are not good at it, or whatever.  it is so good for your heart, your muscles and your well being.  some people use running to control anger or depression or to sort out their emotions to create a clear mind.  try to find what it is about running that you love and stick to it.  also, when running, try to improve the amount of times you stop to walk it out and make a goal to do better the next time.  you will hit that peak where you love running and could run forever... like forrest.

+ stay positive. it really helps.  i'll tell my students to smile when i am having them do something uncomfortable or somewhat painful.  it helps distract the pain.  i have always believed anything is possible as long as you put mind over matter.  you can tell yourself that you can run six miles and do it.  just allow your mind to control your body and it should work.  stray from thoughts of that you are weak or tired or the food you had is slowing you down or in the controllable pain is stopping you - excuses. yes they are.  i think they are excuses people tell themselves to give up. stick with your positive goals of finishing it well and you will.  

and last but not least...

+ have something to listen to.  ipod, whatever.  make sure it's fun, upbeat music that you feel happy listening to.  no music that makes you emotional like old songs with your exes or songs that are depressing.  if you have high tempo, upbeat songs, you will endure or be distracted.


some of you have asked me for my playlists for when i run.  here are just two that i have typed out but will give more if any of you are interested.  they are pretty random and maybe not your type of music but they all help me enjoy my runs.  if you have a great playlist, send it my way.  i would love to see what helps you run faster, or better.





running playlist one



mushaboom: feist
girls and boys: blur
sad song: au revoir simone - pick up pace
the energy of fantasy: ministry of dreams
silver city: ghostland observatory 
soilder girl: the polyphonic spree - sprints
breath & stop: q-tip - have fun!
say hello to the angels: interpol
cloud: fischerspooner - constant to faster
right here's the spot: basement jaxx - sprints
smooth criminal: michael jackson
pop goes the world: men without hats
walking on a dream: empire of the sun
even fairy tale characters would be jealous: play radioplay - consistent speed
indie rokkers: mgmt - slower pace
frug: rilo kiley

approx: 60 minute run













running playlist two


trolleywood: eisley {warm up}
we will become silhouettes: the postal service
hot 'n cold: basement jaxx {so fun}
bonnie and clyde: jay-z and beyonce
i don't want to fall in love: she wants revenge
the big jump: the chemical brothers
all shook up: elvis presley
girls in the back: white rose movement
watch the tapes: lcd soundsystem {steady pace}
out of control: kenna {sprints}
come inside: the chemical brothers (start consistent, build speed, and sprint when the beat drops}
i hear noises: tegan and sara
your arms around me: jens lekman {makes me happy}
running with scissors: ben lee
gimmie sympathy: metric
someone great: lcd soundsystem
crash into me: dave mathews band {cool down}

approx. 60 minutes




4.13.2010

cary brothers


one of my friends CARY BROTHERS
had a record release.
he is truly a talented artist coupled with a bangin' personality.
you have probably heard his song "blue eyes" on the film garden state...
anyway, his record hit top 40 on the itunes the other day.
help a brotha out

4.12.2010

packaged



totally gushing over the inimitable-ness of these packages.
i would grab these packaged raw foods over another brand over the sheer fact that the design, color and shapes.

found here.
i am detoxing this week to help me run faster and feel healthier.

4.10.2010

in and out belly buttons

happy weekend!!
"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." 
-Walt Emerson 

4.09.2010

what's making me smile lately...

{image on ffffound.com}

smelling like the candle that just burned from one of my yoga or pilates classes.
wearing a tennis outfit.
long naps with silk pillows.
dried mangoes.
signing up for LA to dana point ragnar race in two weeks + the st. george marathon in october.
always the funny things jackson says day and night.
recent books i'm into.
old fashioned glass soda 
my gallon of water a day goal so far being fulfilled
gluten-free bread.  where have you been all my life?
being in san diego
hand written letters... revisiting this list. always a favorite.
temper-pedic mattresses
when people see the glass as half full.
new music.

4.08.2010

jackson bo backson

listening to: tom petty
sitting on my friend's couch. 


cannot sleep tonight.  so here i am.  interrupting blog auto-pilot.
it's so time for a little jackson update, ya?
i think so.


tonight i dropped him off at the airport to go up to san francisco for the weekend with his pops. ugh, letting your baby go for chunks of time away isn't always the easiest task. especially when you are a mom that planned to have twelve kids since kindergarden and doesn't have a little one to keep me company while he's gone.  i become more social and find myself compelled to tell my friends whilst at dinner in my mommy voice, "you're going to grow tall if you eat more of your green trees and carrots!"

we have had some pretty great times together recently.  it's been so comfortable staying home with him everyday (oh did i mention i am not a full-time employee anymore? yeah, let go...)

so taking over my role as full-time mom again every waking minute of the day has been so rewarding.  disneyland trips, zoo trips, mall adventures, picking up germs from the mass public, falling off trikes without shirts on, baby pools, beach trips, bacteria-infested play gyms that wreak of soggy cherrios and diapers, playdates where dressing up is not optional... to harassing trader joes clerks for red balloons.  turning daily mom and son days into the most fun yet has been our goal + we are stickin' to it.  i have been trying my best to go on runs with him every morning: he does one lap then sits on the stairs collecting rolley-pollies.  remember that snail story? {see below}



listening to: The Weeks
with new bangs.

if you are insect sensitive, this post is not for you.


recently i go for a 2-5 mile run either on my parent's track, or if it's early enough, around san clemente. jackson loves to come with me on the track. he runs one time around (4xs is 1/4 mile) and then he gives up. i don't blame him. if i was a little person, i would barely make it. so to keep his attention, i have him look for snails on the stairs while he waits for me to finish.


this one morning there was a plethora of snails out. i told him i would find him a snail every time i came around and add it to his family of snails. he got so excited every time i would deliver a slimmy snail to his chubby hands. his face was classic. he acted like he was opening up a new present when he saw me rounding the corner.


about nine snails deep, i stopped to ask him their names. he told me, "thomas, this one is percy, this one is the mommy melis, this one is the baby, this one is spencer, this one is my friend jack, this one is my friend kaden, this one is the grandma, this one is mimi, " and... so ... on... and so forth. it was so funny. they seemed to try to escape his adoration as fast as they could go but as we all know they can't move too quickly. i circle the track one more time, with a fresh snail in my right...


to my dismay, all the snails were squooshed.
crunched.
dead.


he began to walk up the stairs and said, "mom you done?"
M: jack did you kill all your snails?
J: yeah they died.
M: why did you kill them?
J: i don't know.


the book, of mice and men came to mind. the poor snail family was murdered by my toddler and he doesn't even care.


sheesh.

--
Posted By Melissa to Your Shade Of Grey at 8/19/2009 07:33:00 PM

well, will-power hasn't changed much to slaughter all the innocent rolley-pollies he collects. eight months later ...... his hands aren't as chubby and he knows better after watching many nat geo episodes about earth's creepy crawly creatures.  without any doubt, the dichotomy between his love for them as if they were his own soon changes into carelessness on a turn of a coin when the smashing begins; still baffles me.  rolley-pollies don't crunch as loud as the snails.  they sound more like those VO5 commercials where the girl crunches her dry and frizzy hair in the microphone.

sometimes we will spend hours searching grass and any sidewalks for these little insects.  i am in charge of holding the collection of vulnerable polleys, following him close behind while he asks me to "woll them ova mom!"

he has been entertaining me with his translation of words as of late.  here are just a few examples off the cuff of this small shade of memory i have:

hiccups = makeups
binoculars = noculars
zits = zips
giraffe = giafe
freckles = sun-kissess
bottom = bamo
look = wook
helicopter = ehcopter
train = choo-choo! train
love = wove
this = vis
pretend = betend
red = wed
grandpa = gwanpa
lindsay = windsey
three = free
clifford (the big red dog) = clippard
little = wittle

is it ridiculous if i don't want to correct him?  i restrain my innate instinct to correct him almost every grammar or word penalty; i just love how he talks! i know he won't stay small for too long but maybe i can keep his temporary vocabulary a smidgen longer? man, i sure hope so.

carrying on...

last weekend i had some of my considerate friends ask for me to loan jackson for the night.  they don't have children yet and just love jackson.  ben and sarah.  they are some of the nicest people i know.  so giving and generous with their time, talents and friendship.  they have watched him before for me and they told me that he said they lived in a castle (they live in a mansion) with a homeless man (ben has a beard).

to see photos of them: jenn king photography {some reason i can't upload anymore pictures?}

ben and sarah took jackson to the movies in tustin.  jackson has been gushing over this dragon movie so they decided to take him to it 3-D.  they told me they were able to grab chipotle before and all he wanted was rice because he didn't want holes...
+++ earlier that day we were at the doctors and i showed him diagrams of the human body.  he was asking me lots of questions about the anatomy, why we have this and that.  we got to the stomach.  there was a picture of a stomach with holes inside.  he asked me why this stomach had holes?  i told him that it had too much mcdonalds so this person's tummy hurt.  it makes holes.  he told me he didn't want holes, so he doesn't want mcdonalds anymore. 
... a little healthy-food-mom to son talk aka: propaganda... doesn't hurt if it benefits, right?

4.06.2010

v.w.



remember when i saw vampire weekend in februaryish?
this music video made me happy thinking of how fun it was.
i am JUST introducing jack to tennis...
give a ball to a boy and he's happy.
he likes this band as well - so i showed him the video... he laughed.
don't know how 3 1/2 year olds understand the satire but he did to an extent.

those random cameos are too funny.  jake? awesome.

4.05.2010

lefty loosey, righty tighty

so i picked out all this week's blog posts when i had some quiet time over the weekend...
sorry for the quick and short ones.
busy busy.

april fooooools

on april fools, i totally believed everyone. i seem to fall for it every year.... and i'm extremely gullible.

 wasn't on the computer much, but when i did see the status updates on facebook, i couldn't believe so many people were engaged.


i didn't congratulate them via facebook because i figured if i was close enough to them, they would call/text me.  plus it seems like everyone is getting married lately that it wasn't hard to believe. i saw that my bff was moving to germany... devastating but excited for her.

then, i am out running errands and i get a call from my mom.

mom: "melis, mitch just told dad that lindsay is pregnant!!!"
me: "i just saw linds!  she didn't tell me.  how exciting!!!! i can't wait to see her soon!"

so i immediately call linds.
she tells me mitch was playing a trick on my dad.
so bummed.

so later that night my dad asks me to help him get back on mitch.
we go up to his office and he compiles this email:



Family & Friends,

Since this is going to so many people, I will apologize up front for the blind-copy.

Lindsay (Mitchell's wife) is pregnant with their third!   They are so excited as Cindy and I are!   I have really gotten into being a grandfather and can't wait to see if we will have a granddaughter or grandson.

For those that don't have their email addresses (they have changed in the last two years), here are Mitchell's and Lindsay's --  they will love to hear from you.

"Mitchell Lundquist" <@am.jll.com>
"Lindsay Lundquist" <gmail.com>

For those that don't know that they moved, here is their new address and contact information:

Mitch & Lindsay Lundquist
5555555 address


Mitch's cell:  555.5555
Lindsay's cell:  555.5555 

Anyway, you can see that we are really excited.  I am certain Lindsay and Mitch would love to hear from you. 

Vic



of course the real numbers and addresses were shared.
i went on both of their facebook pages and went through a majority of their friends' email addresses... random friends they haven't heard from in years.
he blind copied them all so mitch and lindsay didn't even know who got the email.

i was g-chatting her soon after the mass email got sent and talked to linds about it all.  she said mitch was impressed my dad one-upped him. they were getting loads of emails and too many calls that they put their phones off the hook!  everyone congratulated them all night.

we were laughing so hard on our end, imagining them writing emails back in reply to this false announcement.  my sister elise responds to my dad's email by calling and telling him that lindsay was so upset at him.  my dad felt so badly.  then elise april fooled him.

BAM.
linds was laughing.  she thought it was funny.


so then, today... (sunday)
lindsay and mitch announce they just found out yesterday (saturday) that they actually are pregnant!
so the rest of the emails they are getting in response, they can thank them.

pretty funny though.



i get to be an aunt again to their lovely babies.  i need more nieces and nephews.  yay!

4.03.2010

sweet weekend


{image found here}





we had a great time dying the easter eggs with the family.
crayons, ribbons, lots of colors, shimmer, tie-die, tape...
all with lemon juice...
artistic people...
messes...
little boys without their shirts on...
anticipation for hiding them...
excitement for the easter bunny...
lots of love.

result:


here are some more pictures to help you get stoked about easter........
















{all these images found on www.fffffound.com}






{this set found on sweet paul}

and last was saved for the best...
this weekend so far has been amazing.   hope it is for you and your family.


::happy easter from me and jackson::
 

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