Day One: We’re in Friggin Europe!!!
June 22, 2008
Hello world I’m beyond excited (while beyond exhausted) to be writing this from my seat on a plane from Dublin to Rome!
Let’s dive right in… so - SFO. Leslie and I said our “goodbyes” to Anthony, Leslie’s boyfriend (and our purported number one blog-reading fan!) and her mom, a nervous wreck (hehe – kidding [not really]) and we went through security. For some reason in all the excitement I had the idea that they were going to stamp my passport right there– so I was quite excited about all that business. However, I quickly realized that that wasn’t the case and we continued on our merry way…
Next stop: the waiting area. And guess what happened there? We were getting ready to board the flight when all of a sudden I hear an excited yet slightly confused, “Heather?!” – I turn and look to my right and seated there, also waiting for the same flight, I see Marika – our fellow Googler! And, not just any Googler, but as luck would have it – the Googler who, in a sense, brought Leslie and I together three years ago. Marika was a recruiting coordinator for the college team and was basically in charge of Leslie and I when we were HR/staffing interns together. 
We told Marika we were going to have a six hour layover in Dublin and, since she was staying in Dublin for work, we decided we’d hop in her cab and go hang out for a bit.
But of course…there was the nine and a half hour flight to get through first. This was the longest flight I’d ever been on (the longest previous to that being a flight between SFO and NYC) and I have to say- overall, not so bad. They played a few decent movies and Leslie and I chit-chatted away for most of it. And… truth be told (and just between you and me) I think the real reason the flight wasn’t so bad was because the flight attendants all had Irish accents and were wearing cute green outfits! I was convinced the male one, who had taken to calling me “Rupunzel” (which sounds great with the accent, I’d like to add), was secretly a leprechaun who had decided to escape from the shire and explore the world via flight attending – so (as I’m sure you can imagine) thinking up all the adventures he must be having consumed quite a large chunk of time.
The only negative I experienced in-flight (and by negative I’ll say “lesson learned”) is expressed in the first video – so take a look! The other, I’ll say, not-so-good part was that we didn’t really sleep that much. I maybe got in two hours of sleep and Leslie didn’t get any at all. This was problematic because for us (on California time) we arrived in Dublin at midnight. However, for all the mischievous leprechauns we arrived at 8am! And, perhaps worst still, we were to stay in Dublin until (Dublin time) 2:30PM and arrive in Rome at 7:30PM (which, for those keeping track, would be like 9:30AM Sunday morning for us!! To solve this sleep-schedule problem we’ve brought lots of sleepy-time drugs that we will be consuming when time comes to sleep in Rome (though I doubt that we’ll need them)
So anyways! We made it to Dublin safe and sound (though we did have an exciting landing where we sort of landed on one wheel and then tipped over to the other and then back again). The weather was cold, rainy, and super windy. Leslie kept calling the weather “shit” but this confused me so. Like I said… it was cold, rainy, and windy. I’m slightly concerned that this signals some sort of fundamental defect in our ability to communicate, but we’ll just have to wait and see how it all plays out.
Oh and I should say! When I knew we were descending my eyes were absolutely glued to the window. I wanted to mentally capture the very first time I would set eyes on European soil… and I so did! It was green and lovely and I tried to keep my view fixed 
out the window and not blink as I fingered my way through my bag to grab my camera (I wanted to take a picture and say it truly was a picture of my first view of Europe) but there was too much light outside so the picture wouldn’t work. Dangit! Instead I had to settle with holding up the line getting off the shuttle so Leslie could get a picture of my feet as they touched Europe for the first time.
Once out I finally did get my passport stamped. I was going to take a picture of it but Marika quickly informed us that picture taking in that area isn’t allowed. I find this silly and have decided that all these photo rule makers are big bullying memory-stealers. hurrrmpumpf!
Marika then let us know that the best exchange rate was going to an ATM (which I wouldn’t have thought of) so I headed over with her and got out 100 Euros. Which, after already having been in Dublin for the day, costs me a lot but doesn’t get a lot. Life in Ireland is expensive!
At that point we caught a taxi and were taken to Marika’s hotel so she could dump off her stuff. 
Our next stop was Grafton street – which is this super cute area with lots of shops and little cafe things. We only had a few hours and I was starving (see video one for why). It was cold and windy and wonderful and I would have been glad sitting out in all its Irish glory all day long but Marika and Leslie were, strangely, against this so we found an indoor cafe to get some food. And then we ordered. The only funny thing I have to share is a mini story I’ll call “What do you do when even the Irish think you shouldn’t drink!”. And it goes… Leslie decided that she wanted what’s called an “Irish coffee” with her breakfast which is coffee with Bailey’s and I think cream. But the key part is the Bailey’s. So Leslie tells our waitress she’d like one and the waitress comes back and informs her that they can’t serve alcohol until 11:30am. At this point I laughed aloud. The Irish let me down! Sure it’s technically 9:30am on a Sunday, but come’on! Leslie got a cappuccino and orange juice instead.
For the rest of the afternoon we just walked around looking at shops (which, I’m telling you, are infinitely cuter and filled with more adorable and “me” clothing than I’ve ever seen in the US) for most of the rest of our time. We were all so tired and spacey that we thought some sort of sugar rush was in order – so we stopped at a crepe place Marika knew to be delicious and got some 
seriously yummy treats. Leslie and I split a nutella, strawberries, and cream one and Marika got one with sugar and jam. Yummy!
After a bit longer Marika was running on way below low and decided it was time to part ways and head back to her hotel. We gave our hugs goodbye and then Leslie and I were, for the first time, on our own. We decided we had just a wee bit of time left (say that last bit with an Irish accent to get the effect that’s going on in my head right now) before we’d have to either magically figure out the bus system or hail a taxi. However, we got a bit sidetracked when we stumbled upon the Dublin castle. So we walked around there for quite some time before realizing we really needed to get going.
Our taxi driver ended up being an old man named Simon and I’m happy to report that he filled our entire drive to the airport with lovely conversation. We were told a bit about Leslie’s family’s surnames and where they might be from in Ireland and some history (we wanted to hear why, while all the houses looked very similar, each door was uniquely colored. Marika had been told before that it’s so when the Irishmen 
stumble home from the bars at lord knows what hour, they can figure out which house is theirs. Simon didn’t confirm this but did say that in the inner parts of Dublin the city basically tells you which color to paint your door now!). So that was all well and good but it came to our attention that we were sitting in the taxi when our flight was departing 40 minutes later (see video two for another lesson we learned)!! So we ended up paying him early and running to the terminal (there was a lot of traffic). As a side note: I never get to airports late because it stresses me out like no other. So I don’t know what the heck I was thinking here (I blame Dublin castle and our first taxi driver)…
Anyways, we made it and in time to take a video! So please enjoy and feel free to view our entire gallery of Dublin photos. And now, to Rome!!
[PS: There is a second video… but I’ve been sitting here for two and a half bloody friggin hours, paying like $10, to get it to upload to YouTube and, pretty much, no dice. It’s 2.5 minutes… so that might be part of the issue. So for now you only get video one. I’ll try again with two later tomorrow. Sorry ‘bout that 
However… the reception guy has decided to give me a few shots to make up for my troubles. I’m going to go drink those now. And then try and sleep for like two hours before Vatican time!]
A Decidedly Delectable Day
June 20, 2008
What a great day I had today! I’ve felt this quixotic whimsical goodness rushing over me for hours now and it’s time I write some of this down (so that I can focus on actually packing!) 
First off, today was my first time biking to work with the SF2G group. SF2G stands for “San Francisco to Google” and it’s basically a group made up primarily of Googlers and ex-Googlers who ride from San Francisco to Google. Friday is NRLB (No Rider Left Behind) Day – which made it the perfect day for me to try the group out for the first time.
First I should say that I’ve been very very excited about this group. In fact, one of the reasons I wanted to move to San Francisco and live near the Mission was that this group existed and meets most mornings at Ritual coffee (which, I’m sure you’ve gathered, is located in the Mission). The only problem (and thing I’ve been stressed about) was that I had no real grasp for the skill level of the group. Were these people going to all be at the level of the UCLA Cycling Team (in which case I was going to get my ass handed to me on a daily basis) or were they more a mesh pot of lots of different skill levels and sets where people from all over the spectrum could join together and ride (in which case, I’d be fine)?
Well let me just paste in a (slightly modified) clip from the email I sent out to the group after our ride today:
“Now that I have a spare moment I wanted to say what a blast I had this morning. And, it being my very first SF2G ride, I thought I’d write up a little somethin’ somethin’…
So my ride report really has to start the night before… well actually we’ll start even before that. So I’ve been super excited about this SF2G business for some time. I just moved up here from the Santa Monica office on Monday — and down in Santa Monica I rode with the UCLA Triathlon team (where I was, perhaps unsurprisingly, on the UCLA Triathlon team)So anyways, I’ve been very excited but very nervous. Nervous primarily because I had no idea what the skill level was going to be AND I’ve been on quite a few "no drop" rides that ended up being drop rides. And, since I had no idea how to get to Google, getting dropped would be a problem.
So flash forward to last night - there I was laying on my temporary bed (read: my couch) last night at like 12:30AM thinking "shit, I’m going to be dropped… and then I’m going to be screwed". This went on for some time but it seems eventually I fell asleep.
Then I woke up this morning and was like "Oh god… what do these people carry their stuff in? Do they carry stuff? Are they all super speed demons who would never carry any sort of extra weight (like flip flops) because it’ll slow them down? But I need my flip flops! Well…I could walk around barefoot today… but then again probably not…Oh god oh god oh god…."
Eventually I got out the door (with my flip flops).And from there on out it was smooth sailing (except for that one "mountain biking" second on that narrow evil bit). Everyone was super friendly and it was great to see so many people riding!
So thanks everyone! When I get back in two weeks you’ll definitely see me out there a lot. Bayway any day!”
So as you can see, the ride went SUPER well. I ended up sticking with the lead pack. How awesome is that?! Plus, I met some really cool people. And when we made it to Google we all got breakfast together and hung out for a second before heading off to the showers and work. Oh And! Throughout the day we were all emailing each other little random things. And! And! They even invited me out tonight… but I had to decline this time (mainly because I’ve been out with different people every day this week and I need some chill time… and I really wanted to write this post [hehe]… and I need to pack for tomorrow!)
So there’s the scoop on SF2G. I think when I get back from Europe I’m going to try and aim to ride in to work three times a week. I’m so excited about it I could freakin explode into a trillion rays of sunshine and goodness!!
The next awesome thing I want to share is really about where I (literally) am right now. I’m writing this post from the deck of my house, where I’m looking out on my big giant lush wonderful beautiful garden (with Redwood trees and lots of flowers!) that I just watered today (and watering plants always puts me in a super positive mood… probably because I sing to them as I water… you know, because they and all the fairies that live in/around them really like that sort of thing.) To the side you’ll see a few pictures of what this all looks like. Can you believe this is a house in San Francisco?!
What is also making this sitting-on-the-porch business so awesome comes from three additional points of goodness:
First: I’m listening to awesome music.
Second: I walked across to the most awesome grocery store in the history of time (Rainbow Grocery Store) and got lots of delicious things for dinner (where this includes: Kombucha drink, a super juicy and tangy nectarine, and the strongest soft goat cheese EVER [mini story: they have a cheese person at the awesome grocery store and she asked me what I was craving and I said “a really strong goat cheese” She said “Oh, man, I’ve got the perfect thing” – she then gave me a taste of it. It was delicious!! I then, in all my joyousness, fell in love with three things: the store, the cheese, and the cheese chick.].
Third: I bought myself a new camera for my trip – and the pictures you’re seeing of my backyard are the first pictures I’ve taken with it. Not bad, hey? I’m just happy I now know how to upload pictures and all that. Because starting tomorrow I’m going to be uploading a friggin mega-load of them!!
This then brings me to the final awesomeness that is currently going on: My European Extravaganza!! Right after I finish this post, finish my Kombucha drink, and calm down just a little, I have to go inside and pack up because at 11AM tomorrow morning Leslie is picking me up and we’re going to SFO baby!! Next stop: Europe! 
For two weeks of nonstop action-packed adventure!!!!!! I’ve never even been to Europe before so this is a huge deal for me. I’ve fantasized about this sort of backpacking trip for years and years and years. And finally I have the money and guts to just go do it. It’s going to be epic!
I won’t bother saying anything more about the trip because starting tomorrow (probably starting tomorrow from the plane) I will be posting to this blog EVERYTHING about my trip. I am really really going to aim and post every single day. I want to post videos and pictures and stories and everything!!! Our first stop is Dublin – where we have some long layover. But then… to Rome!!
So today was and continues to be a decidedly delectable day! 
23andMe and Regulators: Genetics, Information, Paternalism
June 19, 2008
CA regulators (through the Department of Public Health) have sent cease and desist letters to 13 direct to consumer genetic testing companies, demanding that they stop sales until they prove that
1) their labs are certified by both the state and federal government
2) the tests they’re selling to CA residents have been prescribed by a doctor (which state law requires)
Here’s one such article on the matter
These letters (it seems to me) signal to some much wider and far reaching implications for direct-to-consumer genetic testing….
23andMe originally said they weren’t going to fall under HIPAA [HIPAA = Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act – the relevant Title II portion regulates the security and privacy of health-related data] regulations because they weren’t a healthcare/medical provider. (side note: I’ve always found that argument a bit puzzling given both the way people view genetic information and the actual information 23andMe was claiming they could provide about people’s dispositions to certain illnesses and conditions) but now that regulators are saying Californians need a prescription to get these tests done, it seems the Department of Health is inclined to start looking at these companies as part of the health care system.
So why does that matter? What will HIPAA mean for companies like 23andMe?
Well it’s hard to say (for me… since I’m by no means a subject matter expert) but for one – right now users can (I believe) trace back both their genetic heritage and see where their friends are “really from”, too. I’m guessing there’s an opt-in (or at least opt-out) option for this but HIPAA might interpret this sharing of genetic information as too loose. Further, HIPAA is going to (again, I think) have a problem if I can tack specific medical information back to specific individuals.
Further, because they (and other direct-to-consumer genetic testing companies) said they were unregulated, that meant medical researchers wouldn’t need approval to send out casual surveys to, say, all the clients who have a disposition to Type II diabetes (because, again, IRB standards won’t apply either). They can then ask them whatever questions they want and *importantly* use the information for whatever they’d like. Informed consent wouldn’t be required and they’d have no obligation (nor be under any requirement) to treat and protect the data in any way. So if 23andMe is now seen as under HIPAA regulation, none of that is going to be possible. Say goodbye to the vision of all 23andMe’ers working together to benchmark on a genetic level. Never going to happen. (Well, I shouldn’t say “never”… but they’re going to have to jump through a lot more hoops before anything like that is going to be allowed)
So what do I think about all this? Well, I’m generally opposed to government regulation of business and I’m even more vehemently opposed to any sort of regulation that looks like the government is trying to tell me what information I can and can’t have about myself, and further, what I should be able to do with that information. Why should I need a prescription to find out information about my own genetic code? If I want to spit in a cup or have a swab swished around in my mouth, pay $999, and get my DNA coded, so frakin be it. It’s my DNA, it’s my money, and it’s information that I should have access to (if companies like 23andMe want to help give it to me)… whether or not a doctor agrees.
However, there are other issues I do have with 23andMe and other companies that are suggesting that your DNA will show you who you really are.
For one, while there’s no question that our genetic make up plays a large part in our identity and "who we are", it seems that there’s a way for this sort of thing to fuel a *very dangerous* genetic-determinism myth.
- For one, what’s literally coded in our genes is only one part of what’s expressed anyway. Epigenetics at least seems to be overlooked by these companies. [if you’re curious, NOVA made an interesting film about epigenetics].
- Further, I want to say that we should really spend time thinking about the intimate and inextricable relationship between genes and environment. We can see just by looking at cases of childhood trauma that the environment/the way we’re treated/etc. literally shapes brain development. For instance, I read in Bruce Perry’s "The Boy Who Was Raised a Dog" - if you leave a baby alone all day without human connection, certain parts of the brain just never develop - they’ll lack the ability to have normal social relations, to empathize, to love, to derive pleasure for human interactions, etc. - and they’ll have these problems because their brain itself will develop in a certain way (not because their genes were coded a certain way). So genes determine some stuff, but how we’re treated determines a lot, too (and not only of our social existence, but our very physical makeup and gene expression, too). So I guess what I’m saying is that there is a potential worry that this sort of "Oh let’s send out these surveys and figure out what gene is responsible" is failing to appreciate how complicated and interconnected all aspects of our existence are with each other. Further, it seems to (conceivably) perpetuate a myth that there’s this hard and fast line between what’s genetically determined about me and what’s pliable in the social realm. They transform each other.
- Further, there’s a lot of statistics/probabilities etc. associated with this stuff. To say Diabetes Type II is 26% genetically determined or that we are "sort of" sure that there’s a genetic marker for avoidance of errors or bipolar etc. etc. - does the average person really understand statistics enough to make sense of this independent of some sort of guidance? Are those who help provide the information under any obligation to make sure it’s interpreted ‘correctly’? There’s no genetic counseling attached to this service … and I wonder if without it, people are going to make poor conclusions about the genetic fate.
So I’m not a fan of what the Department of Public Health is trying to do but I’m also weary of the direction these companies might be going. But (unlike some confused souls) my concerns with the direction certain companies and industries are going doesn’t induce me to run towards the government and cry “regulate!!!!” We just need to, as consumers (and, really, as concerned and intelligent citizens generally), demand an ethically sound approach to genetics from these businesses.
Graduation Time! Day One Complete!!
June 13, 2008
So it’s 12:30AM and I’m running on but a few wee hours of sleep (had to catch a 6:55AM plane back from SFO this morning) and yet here I am drawing a doodle and uploading a video to my blog. And why? Well, because I want to see if I can write something up every day of my graduation celebration! And why do I want to do that? Well, I know how badly (desperately in fact!) you wanted to be down here celebrating with me but, you know, “situations arose” and blah blah blah- so I’m trying to do the “good friend thing” and share as much as I can with you.
So!! What was today? Well, today the family all congregated in Los Angeles (minus sissy, who is flying in from Berkeley in a few hours). My mom drove up from Oceanside and my dad, Melissa, granny, and Cindy (Melissa’s sister) all crammed into Melissa’s boat giant SUV and drove out from Vegas! Oh and Eric made the epic journey by coming on over from Westwood.
After we all arrived and settled in a bit(and Eric, my mom, and I watched “Perfume” - a sort of Grimm fairytale-esque [and like real Grimm not Disney-Grimm] movie that has been totally under appreciated by larger audiences…) we braved rush hour traffic to go to my Phi Beta Kappa initiation ceremony.
Basically this ceremony consisted of each of the initiate-ees going up to the microphone and letting everyone know what there plans are for the next few years. This to me was super exciting because I was thrilled to hear of all the adventures these people are embarking upon. There are students going directly to top-notch law, medical and graduate schools, a few doing either the PeaceCorps or Teach for America, hippiees that will be traveling until they reach enlightenment or run out of money (whichever comes first), and a few with actual jobs. So it was fun.
Once that was all finished with, we drove down to the PF Chang’s on third street and gathered for our first group dinner. The video below is from early on - my dad wanted to make a toast… and I wanted to capture it for the website! But, since my dad is the biggest ham known to mankind (followed closely by my granny, followed closely by…), he ended up giving quite a performance!
Today we’ve got the college honors ceremony and our “official” group dinner at the Stinking Rose. Because I love garlic!!!!
Jewelism or Dualism: Studying for Philosophy of Mind with David
June 9, 2008
So… I haven’t been able to dedicate enough time to the blog recently due to extenuating circumstances (i.e. FINALS), but I made a promise to myself to find some glimmer of hope and joy in this finals experience (which generally has a vibe more closely resembling the picture to the right).
So last night, when David, Eric, and Matt came over for a finals studying jam session, I was like a hawk on a high branch somewhere forest-y… scanning for a moment to capture with my love, the Flip. And the homies came through (or so I like to think!) While reviewing philosophy of mind with David he had a question… a question that led to this video.
Enjoy and I’ll post more once the seas have calmed and I’ve graduated!!!!
