As we pulled into San Fran for my first interview of the trip we played the 90’s classic, “California Love,” from our bumpin’ system (my cellphone) just to set the mood.  And it worked.  It was a crazy few days of social meet-and-greet dinners followed by interviews.  Highlights: residents getting way tipsier than their program directors might endorse, turbaconducken, party bus tour of the bay area, exclaiming “NEVER!” during an interview, staying with MH (who was AWESOME!), and the Stanford lunch (or as I like to think of it: pre-thanksgiving).  I have to say that the next time I hear San Francisco referred to as “just a tiny town” I will throw something at the person and yell Blasphemy!  Because it just isn’t.  But I loved the trip and can’t wait until bay area interview #3 early next week.

Last year I skiied on thanksgiving and this year I surfed!  No one else wanted to go out so it was just Earl & I manning the ocean.  It was a beautiful day at Cowell’s with plenty big waves for this girl.  It was hours of paddle paddle paddle… kneel!  I seem to freeze between the kneel and stand phases of surfing, but that will surely be worked out over the weekend.  Such a fun & exhausting day.  My little arms were not used to the work-out, such that when the surfing was over I couldn’t pick my board up to get out of the water!  Dangerous Bob chaperoned from the steps just to make sure I didn’t totally gape out and drown in the 11th hour.  Thanks, Bob. And thank you to Earl for taking me out.  It reminded me of when people come visit to ski and you have to lay out the socks and the gloves and the goggles and the poles, etc for them to be sure they’re all set.  Earl totally outfitted me (again) and kept his eyes peeled the whole time to be sure I wasn’t quietly drowning into the underworld, donating my body to the famous feeding frenzy of ot’13!

I missed my own family quite a bit this holiday but had a marvelous time with Joe’s.  Kathy put together quite the spread and not a belly went to bed hungry last night.  Probably most of the bellies went to bed uncomfortably full, if I was being honest.  California, knows how to party!  Cali-for-nia-a knows how to party!