Walks on the beach; Speeches in suits

Walks on the beach; Speeches in suits.
It's funny how two such different activities can both be so satisfying.

This weekend proved to be another adventure for me in the beautiful La Jolla area. It began with an excursion to Pacific Beach with some of my friends. Last Saturday I had the chance to really soak up the rays and water on a couple hour beach walk right along the shoreline. It almost seems as though the gentle lapping of waves, mixed with a salty sea breeze naturally stimulates excellent conversation. I walked and chatted with a new friend named Kate and we spent the time reminiscing about volleyball (she also played club volleyball competitively in high school in Texas!). I hadn't realized how much I had missed talking about volleyball until we brought up the old memories. And as the end of the stroll neared, I realized that walking on the beach is not only a great way to meet new people, but it is incredibly therapeutic. It is little wonder why so many people choose to unwind by drifting along these sandy shorelines. The group topped off the afternoon by grabbing some carne asada (steak) chips and guacamole from a Mexican restaurant next to the beach. Delicious! Later that evening we visited a friends house and had margaritas and chips & salsa on their porch for a few hours.

On Sunday I went shopping with my friend Aysha and her sister to some outlet malls about 20 minutes north. I kept my shopping to a minimum. A coach purse at an outlet mall is a "cheap" $150 dollars compared to the regular $400, and yet I cannot help but feel that I could use that money in a more meaningful way (like 3 tickets to Disneyland, the happiest place on earth). Smile. My biggest purchase was a new, very classy black business suit from Banana Republic. I have a very special occasion coming up tomorrow where I will get the chance to wear it... (details to come later).

This Monday at work was hardly the typical work day. I worked a cool 10.5 hours, with a 30 minute sushi break in the middle (even engineers eat lunch. Shocking, I know. haha). The biggest event today was a one-hour presentation I gave to all of my leads and managers in the multimedia team. The scene looked something like this: I was dressed up quite nicely in a new pair of Express slacks, a laptop next to me with my Powerpoint presentation slides plastered on a large screen at the front. At the end of an impossibly long wooden table sat my audience, consisting of all managers with their accessories in tow. In the special land of engineering, coworkers do not compliment each other on a nice pair of shoes or a new watch. Rather, one would more often hear, "Nice laptop. What OS are you running on it?" or "That coffee mug is very decorated. Painted for you by your daughter, you say? I need one of those..." The presentation was an opportunity for me to share with the managers what I had worked on thus far. Although it is difficult to know, I believe the presentation went very well. They had a lot of positive feedback for me, and I was told a number of times that the visual aide was very professional. The only problem with doing well the first time is this: Setting a high bar from the beginning makes the second bar at bit higher and harder to achieve. But I am ready for the challenge.

Walks on the beach; Speeches in suits.
As I reflect back over my last two days, I find it quite amusing that two very different activities can both provide me with immense satisfaction. I love how multi-faceted life continues to be. For now, I must try to dream of walking on the beach to sooth my mind before a VERY big day tomorrow. While I won't give away what I am up to just yet, I will simply say this: tomorrow, I may very well be the luckiest intern on the globe.

Another week where I avoided a sunburn...

I'd like to take a second to warn all future San Diego tourists. Here in beautiful, upscale La Jolla, there is a famous beach called La Jolla Shores. Often people will refer to the beach as a "black beach" since the sand is saturated with a mineral that turns the sand a black color. However, the beautiful blackened sandy beaches of La Jolla Shores should not be confused with Black Beach. Black Beach happens to be the only nudist beach in the San Diego area!! I (thankfully) didn't make the mistake of attending, but I am told that a collection of older, European men are the usual attendees to Black Beach. You have been warned! haha

Last weekend, my roommate Anne and our friend Kelsey decided to bask in the sun on the black sands of La Jolla Shores (see the picture at right). The sand was warm, and the company was fantastic. However, I can say one thing: if one is looking for a private, secluded beach ... they should probably avoid CA entirely! haha. While snoozing on my bright orange beach towel, I was nearly hit with flying sand toys or running college students more than once. And once in the water, let's be honest, the waves are going to push people wherever they want to (even if it's on top of a pregnant mother wading 10 feet behind them. Yikes!).

On Sunday, my friend Jonathan and I decided to explore a different famous beach of San Diego, Pacific Beach. This beach was unsurprisingly just as busy as La Jolla Shores, but the waves were so much better! In fact, I secretly sat on the beach watching all of the surfers trying to pick up tips, since I will taking a surfing lesson at Pacific Beach (compliments of Qualcomm) in a couple of weekends! Jonathan and I body-surfed in the waves for hours, which is simply attempting to catch a wave and surf it without a surfboard. We finished off the day by grabbing some pizza and Jamba Juice smoothies.

My roommate Anne and I drove into work early on Tuesday in order to leave in the early afternoon and do some shopping in Pacific Beach. We went with some of Anne's cousins and shopped for hours. We capped off the shopping afternoon by picking up some sushi and sake at a little Japanese house next to the beach. I must admit that I have become a sushi addict since I have arrived in CA. I'm sure this surprises many of my family members, given that I spent the majority of my life avoiding it! haha. My favorite sushi rolls? California rolls and crunchy rolls are near the top of the list!

Thursday this week offered me an opportunity that most interns can only dream of: I was paid for 8 hours of work to attend a free San Diego Padres baseball game! I joined about 300 interns at the game against Minnesota for a day of fun, beer, and baseball. You can see a picture of me and some of my friends at the game to the right! Sadly, the Padres lost 4-3, but I am used to baseball teams losing (thank you, CO Rockies! haha).

Last night I ventured off to Little Italy in downtown San Diego. We sat outside on a patio at a chic Italian restaurant called Cafe Zucchero. Between the savory Italian smells wafting around us to the live music being played across the street, the whole experience was absolutely divine.

I realize that this blog entry has been absent of much of what I am doing at work, but have no fear! I am still putting in the 40 hours a week like the rest of working America. The next big action item on my plate is a 1 hour "milestone presentation" I will be giving to all of the multimedia managers on Monday. I am a little nervous as I hear they ask very difficult questions, but I am also very excited to present the status of my projects I have been working so hard on these last 5 weeks! But for today, I am going to set work on the back burner and head out for another beach adventure. And although my friends and I haven't determined which beach we are headed to today, I can guarantee you that the infamous Black Beach won't be my the list! As always, I love and miss you all dearly.

Work Hard. Play Hard.

"Work hard. Play hard."
This is the motto that Qualcomm has chimed at the interns all summer. And thus far, that is exactly what I have done.

The fun started last weekend when some friends and I decided to head to a beach for the day. We chose to try Mission Beach, which is one of the most popular beaches for the youth of San Diego. Unfortunately, the weather wasn't very cooperative, and we ended up grabbing lunch instead. The lunch was at a rooftop restaurant parallel to the beach, and I had an incredible seafood bisque. The restaurant was in such a scenic location, I mental note to go again around sunset!

My roommate Anne and I have also started a grilling tradition on Thursday nights. We are so lucky to have a beautiful pool and cabana area for use at our apartment complex. Last night we marinated some salmon and cooked up some cheeseburgers on the grill with our friends Kelsey, Luke, and Andrew. We finished off the fun night by taking a dip in the hot tub.

Today at work was busy busy busy. The day began with a phone meeting with my old manager from Qualcomm Boulder, Bhavna Woods. She was very supportive of my choice to not rejoin the Boulder office in the fall. I am thinking that with a full engineering schedule, a research position, and my student program manager job for the Women in Engineering Program, I will have my hands plenty full! We also talked about me potentially joining her as a keynote speaker at the national Society of Women Engineers convention this fall!

I also had a design review on a project I have been working on for awhile which went very well. I celebrated by joining some friends for a free box lunch and concert on the Qualcomm lawn. "More free food?" you ask. Qualcomm is never in short supply of free food for its employees! The concert and picnic event today is one of many over the summer called QSOLs(Qualcomm Summer on the Lawn). The band performers were from Qualcomm, reinforcing my conclusion that Qualcomm employees are full of surprises!

Tonight we are planning to head to downtown La Jolla, affectionately known as the "the Cove". The area is full of amazing restaurants and bars. Some of my guy friends are at the Padres game tonight and will meet us at a restaurant for dinner and drinks after it's over. I am looking forward to going to a free Padres game with all of the interns in a few weeks (just another example of how Qualcomm spoils us).

Tomorrow I hope to continue fulfilling the Qualcomm intern motto more. After a full day of working hard, I plan to play hard at the beach tomorrow with my fair share of beach volleyball and chips & salsa. Work hard. Play hard.

...all companies provide free stand-up comedy shows on the lunch hour, right?

I am convinced I will eventually find a week where work and play here in San Diego are not just marvelous. But that time hasn't arrived yet! Since today is the superstitious Friday the 13th, one might except chaos. Yet all signs so far point to smooth sailing.

I worked 3 hours OUTSIDE this week. As a member of a team which works on sensor quality testing for the cameras in cell phones, I get to participate in some of the "field testing". This excruciatingly difficult (haha) work invovles walking around outside with various colorful objects and taking pictures. I am still in shock that I get PAID to do that! There is a small downside though. The camera sensors have to get tested at dusk and under the night sky. Thus, I'll be having a late night here soon. On the upside, if an employee past 6PM Qualcomm will provide you with a free, hot meal!

I was also recently recruited to sit on an "Intern Steering Committee", which is composed of 5 people who help come up with ideas on how to connect interns together. My first task as a committee member? We are conductnig a t-shirt design contest for the 500 QCT interns all over the globe, and the committee will be selecting the top 3 designs for a global vote!

Have you ever just sat in your office and thought to yourself, "You know what I want right now? I would love a free stand-up comedy show at lunch today. Oh, and better yet, I would like it to be right here in my building in one of the conference rooms with free snacks and drinks." Oh, you haven't ever thought that? Me neither. But now, I think about it every day! For that is exactly what happened yesterday at lunch. The comedians were both very funny, especially given that they were catering to a very diverse group of people and cultures!

On Wednesday night, I had a chance to show off my apartment to the Stucka family and my parents who are in town. We also managed to snag a bite of my favortie frozen yogurt shop close to my apartment! Tonight I look forward to going to stay with them and Christy and Justin in a beach house they rented. It seems that I am not the only family member living in a dream!

Last but not least, I know you all care about updates on Angie and Julie. Angie and I talked on the phone for about an hour yesterday exchanging adventures of our new cities. Angie is busy taking the subway and managing fashion shows, while she stays in NYU dorms in the fabulous New York City. She gets to speak and interact with top designers and celebrities (literally) on a daily basis! Julie is working in Denver with United Launch Alliance (ULA). She truly is a rocket scientist! We are both getting really excited for her to come and visit over the 4th of July weekend!

Perhaps I was wrong about nothing bad happening today on Friday the 13th: the US Open Golf Tournament is in town, and I have a feeling traffic will be frightening on the commute home! I love and miss you all!

"Ambition is a dream with a V8 engine." ~Elvis

After a slow start during my first week at Qualcomm, I hardly expected the roaring pace I would adjust to for the second week. The image that comes to mind when I reflect is a watch face with the hands wildly spinning around and around again. Finding the highlights of the last week is difficult to break down, but I’ve done my best below!

I’ve now made friends with 4 of the 13 shuttle drivers, who drive various (fuel-efficient!) cars between the buildings that comprise Qualcomm campus. The grounds are literally so massive that one must call shuttles to move from one building to another. Yet the sheer size of Qualcomm bothers me very little, as I find it offers some advantages. First, I have the opportunity to walk to buildings close to mine. These short walks are not only a welcomed burst of exercise, but offer me small opportunities to improve my summer tan! Second, I get to interact with employees from all levels of Qualcomm. As I was riding between buildings for a meeting on Thursday, I found myself singing old Elvis tunes with Albert the shuttle driver, while a vice president of Qualcomm sat in the back drumming his hands to the beat on the seat cushion. However, I must admit, it is a bit challenging to do work in the electronics lab when the song “Can’t Help Falling in Love” or “Hound Dog” runs through my mind like a broken record.

As you may or may not know, I am sitting on the QWISE (Qualcomm Women Science in Engineering) board this summer. I am the first intern to do so, and I am so very grateful that the incredible women on the board share their time and wisdom with me twice a month. Perhaps the most exciting event at the board meeting this week was updating the board members on a mentorship program I have been co-directing with my work associate Juhi the last few months. I truly believe that much of my young success has come from having fantastic female mentors along the way (beginning with my loving mom and older sister Christy, followed by the director of the Women in Engineering Program at CU, Beverly Louie, followed by my manager at Qualcomm Boulder, Bhavna Woods). I understand that this may sound slightly corny, but these women each inspired me in unique ways. Thus, due to the phenomenal impact they have had on my life, my coworker Juhi and I decided to create a mentor program for all female interns in Qualcomm this summer. The task is no easy feat (given that there are about 100 female interns nation wide), but I am very enthusiastic to watch my hard work these last few months launch into a meaningful program! And of course, we are busy planning a few activities for the mentor pairs, including a cupcake and pottery painting party at a local craft shop!

Mid-week, my roommate Anne and I decided to drive to Old Town San Diego and taste some cuisine from a local Mexican restaurant famed to have the best margaritas and guacamole in the area. We met some of Anne’s family there and had a great evening full of laughs and stories. Delicious Mexican food is a general theme I noticing in my adventures in San Diego this summer (this comes as little surprise, given that it is a short 30 minute drive across the border to Tijuana, Mexico)! But don’t worry, family! I haven’t made THAT particular adventure since I have arrived in this paradise. I also had superb chicken tacos and fried fruit burritos last night from a hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant, while overlooking the ocean and sunset. Spectacular.

Today I traveled to historic Balboa park with a few friends from work. The park sits directly alongside the San Diego Zoo, and is literally littered with art museums, botanical gardens, and culture. Today there was a free Georgia O’Keefe art exhibit open to the public, as well as a number of cultural dancers performing a hula in traditional clothing. Between the gorgeous mid-70 degree weather, free organ concert (from the largest outdoor organ on the globe), and the cultural fusion present everywhere, the whole park felt very similar to Boulder’s Pearl Street Mall. It was really fantastic to be a part of everyone celebrating creativity and diversity.

When I forecast forward to next week’s adventures, I try not to get too excited. It is almost overwhelming when I think about the potential each week here holds. Perhaps the farthest I can look right now is to getting up tomorrow morning and starting the Monday morning routine: teeth brushed, get ready for work, read the New York Times on my computer over a cup of free coffee (compliments of Qualcomm, of course!), and gearing up to conquer another tough bit of computer code or hardware malfunction. And if I am exceptionally lucky, perhaps I will have Albert as my shuttle driver tomorrow morning so I can get a good dose of Elvis to kick of the Monday!