A change in the wind.

It's really strange how you can feel one day and then wake up the next feeling totally different. I can't really explain it, but it happened to me this last Sunday to Monday. Very strange. I kind of feel like I pulled a Mary Poppins, here one day, gone the next, with the change in the wind.

I feel oddly different in my outlook on things, not in a bad way at all, just different. It's like something switched inside my brain. Hmpf. Maybe it's the cold weather we're experiencing here throwing me off, I don't know.

Trust me, I'm still very happy where I am, with what I'm doing, and with life in general. It's just this strange little 'click' went off sometime in the night last Sunday and I'm seeing things with a new perspective.

This probably doesn't make much sense at all, you'd probably have to be inside my head to figure it out. Hell I can't even figure it out and I am inside my head. Haha. I think some of it maybe has to do with I realized that I don't know what I want to do with my life, at all. I mean the obvious things are there, get married, have children and be happy with my career. But what career? I love what I'm doing and I hope to be able to do it for a long time but I'm sure I'll get to a point where I need a change. A change of scenery, a change of location, a change of work, a change. When that'll happen, I don't really know, my guess is sometime in the next 10 years. Yah, I know that's a broad range but it's the best I got.

The rest of what this new perspective is I don't really know. Maybe it'll show up when I least expect it and I'll go 'ahhh that's what that was for', or something along those lines. But who knows really. What's funny is that I have no idea where it stems from. Nothing out of the ordinary happened for me to suddenly feel so different. For now I'm just going to keep rolling on the path I'm on, a slightly new one from this last weekend, but all the same, great.

Miss you friends, xo

The holidays.

Brrrrr...I can feel it getting colder.  Yes, yes, I know it's NOTHING compared to what you are experiencing.  But, when you've had 90+ degree weather for so long and then you wake up and its 50ish, that's cold!  I've lost my 'winter coat'.  What will I do when I go home!! Freeeeeeze.

I love the feeling of the holiday season.  Even in LA I can see it and I can feel it.  There are lights up all around the city.  Every mall/store has their holiday decorations up.  Even though it's sunny as can be and around 65 during the day, I can still feel the holiday feeling around me.  And it feels nice :).

I hope that everyone has a fantastic, fulfilling (in more ways than one) Thanksgiving.  I'll be thinking of you and wishing I could be at home with my family to celebrate together.  Much love, xo

A solo act.

Hello all.  To go off of my last blog, YES!  WAY TO GO USA! Doesn't it feel good? :)

Starting Monday I will officially be performing a solo act for the Job.  My coworker is leaving all of us and instead of hiring someone new to fill her position I will be taking over both positions.  Yes, yes, it does sound a little daunting...but so exciting at the same time!  It will be a challenge to manage the time for both of them but I am confident that I can do it.  The weekends will be my recharging time, and I will need them, definitely.

Isn't it nuts how Thanksgiving and the holiday season just crept up on all of us??  I can't get over it!  Thanksgiving is two weeks away from today, crazytown.  I, unfortunately, will not be going home for turkey day but am very excited to go to the Job's house for the day.  Their family and friends are wonderful and I am so thankful that they invited me to Ojai to share the day with them.  

I am, however, spending two weeks at home over Christmas and New Years!  Very excited for that!  Many of my closest friends will be in town, even those who are very far away! Cannot wait! I just booked the ticket yesterday and I am so excited to get back to Madison.  Wooo!  I hope all is well wherever you are, I miss you, xoxo.

C'mon USA..

Make me proud.

I know we can do it.

Let's change.

xx

Feeling good.

Little Rock was a complete success, one of the best weekends I've had in a long time.  Not only was it amazing to see everyone that I haven't seen in so long and just relax and really see them but to be able to spend some quality time with Rex was really, really great.

This last summer and beginning of autumn we definitely have become good friends again, thank goodness.  I think I got to the point after my last trip to AR where it was an incredibly difficult, emotional time in both of our lives that if I didn't start to change my thoughts about him and about where I was and what I was doing that I would lose my best friend.  And there was no way that I could do that.  

So this last weekend was unreal, plain and simple.  We were totally ourselves again, having the best time.  I was able to be there for him how no one else seems to be able to be right now in his life.  He needed someone who he trusted completely to actually listen to him and ask questions instead of point fingers and judge.  And he knew that person was me.  It was really great to be able to be there for him.  Maybe he doesn't know this but he was there for me too.  I wasn't going through near was he was/is but in my own way I needed a serious break from my reality, even if just for a weekend.  I needed THAT reality, the reality of him and Little Rock and my friends there, without anything dealing with LA or my job or my new life.  And please don't get me wrong, I love LA and my job and my new life to bits and pieces, but I just needed a little escape.

Escaping from reality, or a certain reality, I think, is completely okay.  We all have things that we'd like to hide from now and again.  The way we choose to do that, though, can be very different.  Some turn to friends and family, some throw themselves into work, some turn to drugs, some to exercise.  And escaping that reality I don't think should be viewed as a weakness or as a negative thing.  Sometimes we just need a break.  A real break.  Even if it is just for an afternoon, or a weekend, or maybe even a summer.  Getting away from it all can revitalize you and give you that recharge that you need to get back into it and realize why you're there doing what you do that you tried to escape from originally.  

Ha, I know I'm probably not making any sense.  But I guess what I've been learning is that these mini-vacations from whatever reality you're facing are incredibly beneficial and you shouldn't be afraid to take them if you need them.  Go ahead, live a little, do what you feel you need to do, and in the end you'll be much happier for it.

Ps:  HAPPY HALLOWEEEEEEEEEN!!!!!

Time to travel.

I'm off again! I'm heading south to Little Rock for a little weekend rendevous with some great friends. It is coming at a much needed time, don't get me wrong, LA and my job are going incredibly well and I love them but I need a little breather. Literally, the smog here is killing me haha.

While I'm in Little Rock I am also heading up to Wichita, KS for a wedding of a dear friend of mine. We have known each other since the 5th grade, gotta love that. My friend Ali and I are making the 6.5 hour journey from LR to Wichita for the wedding and then night-driving it all of the way back. I can't waste any time sleeping when there are people to see, that'd be crazy!

I hope all is well wherever you are, and know you're missed every day. I'll shoot an update as soon as I can!
xo

Many the miles...

I had my iTunes on shuffle this morning as I was stretching after my run/getting ready and the song that inspired my whole blog came on...Many the Miles by Sara Bareilles.  This song is so true to me, it just makes life seem like the biggest adventure that I've barely even started on.  It's completely perfect for where I'm at.  If you haven't checked it out, you should. 

Have a wonderful day my lovelies :)

It's autumn...and I'm busy.

Well I officially moved into my new apartment yesterday and spent my first night there.  It's so cute!  Yes, it is full to the ceilings with all of my stuff but it will look wonderful when it is finished and I cannot wait for it.  My kitties are adjusted, it took a little for Riley (the boy) because he's a sissy and his sister Nova went right for it.  It was fun to watch them check out the new scene.

The Job is keeping me busy as usual, they are traveling a lot these next few months which usually means not so crazy but with Christmas coming that means double the work.  And to add on top of that my co-worker is leaving us starting at the end of November and instead of hiring another assistant I am going to be taking on her responsibilities for the other half of my Job.  Soooo....that means a lot of work for me.  I'm so excited for it!  It's going to be completely nuts but I cannot even explain to you how pumped I am.  I'll keep you updated on how that progresses. 

With so many weddings and trips for myself this season I kind of feel like I'm being pulled into many directions, in a good way though.  Getting to go home two weekends ago, heading up to Ojai this last week/weekend and now leaving for Little Rock in two weeks is super exciting.  I may even throw in another trip home if I can swing it, hopefully for Thanksgiving if the prices drop on flights.  So fricken expensive!  I did find out though that I get a full 2.5 weeks off for Christmas, December 19 - January 4.  Yes!  I'll get to go to Minneapolis and Chicago hopefully in that time too to see good friends, cannot wait.

I hope you're all doing fabulously well, and know that I miss you and think of you daily.  Let me know how you're doing eh?  Can't wait to hear from you, lots of love, xoxo

Summer's over..oh wait it's LA, it's always summer :)

It's been over a month since I've last posted, sorry about that. This last month has been nuts! With the first round of friends visiting, then work getting crazy, then one of my bestest friends EVER visiting and now moving apartments...I've had my work cut out for me.

Having Meredith here was amazing. It was just like having my roomie back :). Plus I got a great new friend out of her, gotta love that! It was fun introducing, or re-introducing, her to the city. The last time she was here was when she was in high school..that doesn't count. She saw a much different LA than before. I hope she liked it!!

I am finally making a smart financial decision, haha, it could be the first time. Just kidding. Maybe. I am moving out of my ridiculously expensive apartment into an amazing, rather large studio (I think it actually is bigger than my one bedroom apt). For those Sex in the City fans, I have a "Carrie closet". HUGE, and wide open. Gotta love it! My new landlord is so nice and he's letting me slowly move in throughout the next two weeks and I don't even have to start paying rent until the 1st of October, yay! Now all I have to do is find someone to rent the apartment I'm currently in...keep your fingers crossed for that one.

So all in all life is going pretty well. I'm heading home to Madison this weekend for a wedding of a dear, dear friend of mine. We were roommates in Italy, aka we are going to have one big Italy reunion, the roomies are back in action! Cannot wait! And of course I can't wait to see my gorgeously handsome nephew, just can't get over him ;).

I hope life is moving as 'peacefully' and wonderfully for you as I am finding it to be. May your days be filled with utter joy and happiness, miss you all, xoxo

ps: I promise it won't be so long before the next one, I'll have more to report!

Back.

Well it hasn't stopped since I left last June.  The whirlwind tour of the US and back again to LA.  Literally within the hour of being back in LA my friend Ethan flew into LAX to stay for the week.  We had a blast!  I took him around the city, ran my errands for work, hung out at the beach, hit the farmers market.  It was great!  Then overlapping by a day I had 3 more friends come into visit, yeah...that was a lot of people in my little one bedroom apartment!

This last saturday we went to the Hollywood Cemetery where they show old movies up on this big screen outside in the park.  There were TONS of people there, at least over 1000.  Everyone had blankets and picnics and wine.  It was great.  They showed 16 Candles, great movie eh?  After the movie I drove them to my friend's apartment that I watched the Celtics/Lakers games at in Hollywood.  They got to meet my great group of friends here, they really got along, which was awesome.  We all went out to Happy Endings, a great little bar just down the street.  Good dancing, great drinks and wonderful company equals a fantastic night out in LA.  After the bar we went back to the apt. to listen to Cody and Nick play guitar and serenade us all with their ridiculously hilarious songs they write.  So great!

As much as hosting is fun, it is tiring too.  I feel like I literally haven't stopped moving since June 26.  Even though the Vineyard is so relaxing and peaceful, living out of a suitcase always adds a little extra stress and energy to any situation.  It feels great to be back though.  I've missed this city, and I am so excited to keep getting to know it.  For this week, though, I'll continue my hosting to my lovely Little Rock friends :) 

peace

The Vineyard life.

So relaxed.  This place, I swear, makes me sleep harder and better than anywhere I've ever slept before.  The Job took off and I'm house/dogsitting for the next week.  It has been great being here, although it can get a little lonely at times, it's been a nice change.  A good time to think.

Sonja and Owen are coming out here tomorrow!  A friend of mine here lent us quite the load of baby toys/equipment, so nice!  Owen's three favorite things right now are: water, sand and trucks.  Well we have a beach so that takes care of two of those things.  And I guess we'll have to find him a play truck out here somewhere :).

I hope you all are doing great.  I will update again once I'm back in LA after going home next week for my bday.  I'll actually be able to be in LA for more than a week this time, maybe even 3!  Miss you, xoxo

There and back again.

Alright..well it's been a while.  So sorry!  Little Rock was fun, yes, yes, I know there were parts of that weren't the greatest but all in all it was a great trip.  I got to see some people that I've missed dearly which was fantastic.  And what was once a really bad situation now is heading in a much better direction :).  Martha's Vineyard was unbelievable!  The whole place looked like it could be in a calendar.  So gorgeous.  I also did a little celebrity hob-nobbing ;) couldn't help myself.  I don't think I've slept as hard as I did there in my entire life.  The relaxed atmosphere of the entire island was contagious.  Wonderful.

Back in LA.  A few days after coming back my mom came out to visit.  We had a great time, showing her the sights, playing with my kitties and eating some great LA-style food.  Healthy of course...which is why I love LA.  I have to admit I was ready to come back to the big city.  As much as I love the Vineyard, and am really excited to go back on Thursday, I was ready to be back to 'reality'.  I say 'reality' because LA isn't really anything like reality.  If you've ever been here you know what I'm talking about, and if you're about to visit...get ready.  It's fabulous!

This week I'm off to the Step Brothers premiere for the Job.  A premiere!  Can't believe it!  It should be a wicked good time, cannot wait to tell you about it.  After the premiere I'm heading off again to the Vineyard.  I'll be there for about a week and a half.  The last four days of the trip my sister and Owen (my nephew) are coming to visit.  So excited!  I need some sister/nephew time.  Then we all ship out together to back to Madison for my birthday.  How wonderful right?  I get to see my family and friends for the best day of the year! ;)  It's going to be a great next few weeks, I'll try to keep you updated as often as I can.  (It seems Martha's Vineyard doesn't like me communicating with the outside world, I get no cell or internet service!)  I miss you all, can't wait to hear from you.  xoxo

So it begins...a new chapter.

Today was the first day of the Job that I didn't have my co-worker training me, her last day was on Friday, crazy!  The going away party for her was on Saturday, quite the fiesta.  And through all of it, it only made me want to stay at the Job for that many years longer.  I love it.  And the first day went really, really well.  Got a lot accomplished and definitely feel ready to take on the job solo.

This week I'm taking off on my whirlwind summer of travel for the Job.  I'll be flying back into Little Rock this Thursday and staying until Sunday.  Cannot wait to see all of my friends there!  Obviously there will be some things hard and not so easy about being there and seeing a certain someone but, for better or worse, it needs to be done.

After LR I'll be heading east for a week and a half.  I'll be in Martha's Vineyard for a bit, then heading back to LA for about a week and a half where my mom will be visiting!  Yay!  I am so excited for her to come and see my new life out here.  After LA it's back east again for a while.  At the end of July I will be flying home to Madison for my birthday, so excited!  I get to be there for 4.5 days, so great.  Then it's  back to LA where I have quite a few very close friends coming to visit from the good ol' south for a couple of weeks.  Yay visitors!  And then it's back out east again for the rest of August.  So as you can see, I'm going to be busy, to say the least haha.  Please forgive me if you don't see a ton of posts, I'll try my best!  I miss you all, lots of kisses and hugs, xoxo

Being me again.

Right now I'm celebrating an (almost) Celtic win of the NBA Playoffs, watching the basketball game at a new friends apartment.  So much fun!  I met this whole crew about 3 weeks ago and have seen every game since with them, whether at their apartment or at a great little Irish pub called Sonny McLeans.  Wonderful!  They have been a revival for me, keeping me busy, letting me laugh ridiculously loud and letting me get a little tipsy and let loose when needed.  And trust me, it has been needed recently.  No worries, no drinking problem at all and have not been drinking a lot, just a glass of wine here and there watching a great basketball game every couple of days.  It has been miraculous!  

So I guess what I am saying is that I'm feeling like myself again.  Feeling like I'm ok, I'm totally great where I am, with who I am, and with where I'm going.  I'll keep you posted on any further advances in that area.  Hope you're all wonderful, miss you all! xoxo

Change. Part two.

When something major happens in ones life, it takes time to figure out where and how to start over again.  Thought processes have to change.  Day to day activities and 'used-to's' have to be modified.  Figuring out how to recreate oneself to fit this new life...it all takes time.  

Right now I feel like after an event that took place last week that I don't want time.  I feel like when I have time I start to explode.  I need to fill up my days and hours and minutes with activities and people and anything to keep my mind busy.  If I find that I am sitting for too long, I go crazy.

Starting over.  What a weird concept.  One that, to be honest, I hadn't seriously thought of for the last year and half.  Even with this move, it may have crossed my mind, but never in a serious way.  Maybe that was naive.  Maybe that was hope.  I don't know.  Either way, I'm here, in it, knee deep.  

Being surrounded by incredibly wonderful, loving, and understanding people helps.  Even those back home and back in the city where the majority of this all took place, they are the reason that I am not going absolutely nuts.  I guess it's good to hear that, above all, I am still loved by friends.  Friends from home, friends that are friends between us, new friends here.  I don't know where I'd be without you, you guys are keeping me sane.  Thank you, for everything.  Please don't stop the emails/texts/calls, I appreciate every single one of them, more than you know.

It's been, a while.

Well first of all, I'm sorry for the lengthy hiatus.  I don't want to make excuses but work honestly had been crazy.  Crazy in a great way though!  Loving every minute of it, and making new friends (almost) every day.

A blog I posted some time ago about change reoccurred to me today.  As I was sitting here watching Sex and the City in my not-even-close-to-being-set-up apartment, getting ready to watch the actual movie (I'm just playing another round of catch up with the seasons), I realized that all of these feelings that I'm having about this huge change that I am waist deep in were completely normal.  Without shedding too much detail, there have been some ups, and definitely some downs in this last week or two with a BIG change in a BIG relationship of mine.  Funny, for those of you who know Sex and the City BIG is a phrase/name commonly used.  But for my big relationship it is with a different man, my main man.  Don't worry, things are fine.  It's figuring out how to actually maintain our relationship when it is so different from before, not just from when I was in the same city as him but also from when we did long distance before when we first started dating.  It's not the same.  Too much has been put into it, we're not heading to the same destination we were before.  

This summer, maybe even this year, I feel, will be one for changing, adjusting and reinventing.  Changing my/our minds about what we want and hoping those run parallel with each others wants, adjusting to this new city for myself and for us this new relationship we have, and reinventing our relationship too.  We can't have what we had before, not exactly.  And who knows, maybe what we can have will be even better.  We'll never know unless we try.

And I'm Settled. Almost.

Well I made it!  I guess I should say 'we' made it, referring to Rex and myself.  The trip out was great, kind of a long flight, but you'll have that when you fly halfway across the country.  The week was amazing with Rex.  He was such a great apartment-finder helper!  We lucked out on a great one too, I'm sitting in it right now.  On a very retro-looking couch too, I might add.  

While Rex was here this last week we mainly looked for apartments and hung out.  Got some great food, went down to the ocean, ate some cherries at a farmers market, and got to know LA a little.  It was wonderful.  Couldn't have wanted a better last week with him.  Then he had to go.  And I got sad.

After I dropped him off, I had a few minutes drive before I had to meet my co-worker at Target to begin the 'necessity' shopping, things for the apartment that you HAVE to have.  Towels, silverware, toilet paper, etc.  During that 15 minute drive or so I really got to get a good cry out, reprocess things about where I was, what I was about to start doing with my life and how Rex will still be a huge part of it, even though he's not right at my side.  As sad as I was and still am, I know we'll be ok.  He has reassured me of that many times, and I believe him.  

This weekend has been full of shopping and organizing.  I have furniture, some at least. Waiting til tomorrow to get a bed, for now I'm on an air mattress.  I'll take that over the floor!  Last night I was taken out by two of my friends and their significant others for an amazing night out in LA.  We had drinks at this chic bar that is at the Santa Monica Airport, we had the drinks on the roof so we got to watch the sun set and see the planes come in...very cool.  After that we went to this great place called Primitivo, a tapas restaurant/wine bistro.  AMAZING!  I can't even explain the deliciousness of this food, and I could eat almost everything there!  That doesn't happen often!

Tonight they are showing me downtown, cannot wait.  We are going to one of their friends going away parties and then out to eat and out for drinks after.  Should be a great time.  Tomorrow is just setting up the apartment more, maybe I should do some grocery shopping since I'm literally living off of: rice cakes and peanut butter, one leftover from last night that I am making into 3 meals, salsa with no chips, and two apples.  Yup, that's it.  As for next week, the training begins!  

Can't wait to see what's in store!  I swear to post more often, this week has been nothing but craziness!  Hope you're all well and happy, miss you! xoxo

I'm out. Peace.

I'm off, headed westbound.  Today's the day that I'm starting the Job, it's crazy!  I'll try my best to keep you all updated as often as I can.  This first week might be hard, we (Rex and I) will be all over the place, but soon enough I'll let you know how we're doing, where I'm living, etc. 

I'll miss you Little Rock, and everyone and everything that came with it.  It's a great little package deal.  And I cannot wait to come back and visit.  Thankfully my boss is from here so I'll be back quite often, yay!

Farewell, farewell.  See you in the big city!!!

It's about that time.

Well the goodbye party has come and gone, and now I'm left with only one final and two papers, which thankfully are both done.  The final however is on Wednesday, talk about a buzz kill for the week.

This weekend was wonderful, just what I wanted for a send off party.  We went out to Murray Park which is down on the Arkansas River.  We grilled out, had tons of food, played beach volleyball, bocce ball, and frisbee.  (Almost) everyone was there that I wanted to catch before I left.  No worries though, hopefully I'll be back around the good ol' Rock sooner rather than later and I can see everyone once again.  

Well it's here.  Friday.  The day of moving.  Weird!  It has come up so fast!  I'm shipping my bins, full of all my stuff, on Wednesday...or tomorrow if I can pull everything together.  And they should be there by Monday or Tuesday!  That should work out perfectly with getting my own apartment.  Thankfully I have a wonderful friend of mine out there helping me look at apartments, she's been a lifesaver!  So that will cut down on my time having to go hunt a perfect apartment down in the first few days of being out there, thankfully.  Saturday, though, it's all business.  Rex and I are doing some major apartment seeing/hunting and hopefully we can score one that I love by the end of the day so we can get into one ASAP.  

This will probably be the last blog before I get out there, and I apologize if one doesn't come super soon after that.  I will be going through crazy-town in the first week out there but I promise I will do my best to get one up as soon as I can.  

Other than that, I hope all of you are wonderful and well!  Can't wait to hear from you!  The next time you 'see' or hear from me I'll be a Californian, whoa!

Stress.

Stress can do funny things to people.  Many people chain smoke, shut down, go crazy, drink a lot of coffee (or alcohol for some), vent for hours, hide.  You name it, people react in totally different ways to stress.  

I'm what you call the 'shut-downer'.  People who know me well enough know that when I'm stressing over something, regardless of whether I know what it is or not, I shut down.  I become this quiet little being.  It's not like I'm trying to be quiet, I just am.  I don't feel like talking, smiling, doing...anything.  No idea why I am like that, but it's a package deal so take it or leave it, right?

This last week has been a stressful one.  Realizing that I now only have 2.5 weeks til I leave and then realizing how much fricken school work I have to do until then just put me over the edge.  It's remarkable how fast things come up.  Like these two 15 page papers that I was supposed to have been working on for quite some time now...yeah they are due in two weeks.  Better get my butt moving on that one...or those two.  Damn.

I feel like stress could be a blessing in disguise though as well.  I mean, all of this stress is really making me do things.  Of course that is after I get over my quiet-don't-talk-at-all-do-nothing phase.  I have been really productive with writing and getting my major presentation in order.  So that's good.  It also has made me really get on things with 'closing relationships', as I called it in my last blog.  I just posted my going away party invites on facebook and it looks like most everyone can make it, which rocks.  It'll be a great way for me to see everyone right before I take off.  A little sun, some beach volleyball, maybe a few beers, the best company and definitely some grilling out.  Could you ask for any more in a going away party?  I think not. (Well maybe having my friends/family from afar to join me, then that would be perfect.)

So for now I say to you, if you are closing a semester (or career) of school, good luck, and congrats on making it through another one (or the whole one, which in that case CONGRATS!).  As for me, I'll be stressing my way through these next two weeks, frantically typing and over-caffeinated at all times.  Peace.

Moving.

So I just got back from a wonderful cup of tea with my future bosses, they are in town for the weekend.  They are wonderful.  (I know I just said wonderful, but that's the only way to describe them...wonderful.)  

We got a lot figured out about moving this May.  Under 4 weeks til I'm LA bound, crazy.  This semester has flown by.  Faster than I thought.  

Closing relationships that I have just made is interesting, well not really closing them but changing them I guess would be the best way to phrase that.  I've made some great friendships and relationships throughout my stay here.  The most important one, Rex.  That will be the hardest relationship to change.  We've had some really great talks about it and I'm totally confident in our relationship to be strong through this, we'll be fine.  And thankfully technology allows us to feel/be a lot closer to each other than ever before.  Thank you web cams!

The Job is flying both of us, Rex and me, out there on May 9.  Rex will stay through the 15th.  He is going to be my partner in crime in finding an apartment, that's first on the agenda.  Thankfully the Job is putting me up until I find my own place, like I said, wonderful.

I am so thankful for this amazing opportunity that I've been given.  I couldn't be working for better people than them.  So helpful, caring, generous.  And they love Rex which is always a huge plus!

Today is a good day.

Parents.

I don't know why but it seems lately that my friends and ones close to me have had some not-happy-faced encounters with their parents.  The situations totally vary but they all seem to end with 'argh! my mom (or dad, or both) are just pissing the f*** out of me!" or something along those lines.  Honestly within the last 24 hours I'd say that at least a handful of my friends have commented on something near that statement.

Why is that?

What is it about our age that makes our parents seem like the need to start controlling us...again?

I mean, we live with them for 18 years...some of us longer than others, they teach us their ways, instill values and morals inside of us hoping that when we venture off into the world that they have taught us well.  Actually some of them don't really want us to venture at all, some would prefer for us to stay home.  And some would like us to leave as well.

I feel like once we get into college and they start to feel that 'loss' and the 'empty nest' syndrome kicks in that they need to come back to that at some point down the road and start to tell us what to do again.  I'm not saying that we don't welcome any advice that they may have for us, that will always be taken, and taken warmly at that.  All I am saying is that parents, when they have children around our age (early to mid 20s), feel the need to start giving a little too much advice...maybe even try to start to 'parent' us again.  Bad idea.  We don't take to that very well.

For all of my friends out there who are dealing with this unfortunate happening, and I am pretty sure every single person has gone through with their own parents, I hope that it passes.  (Friend I am talking to you...and to the person who is sitting next to me right now).  Let us all hope that our parents will learn to understand that we really do know what we are doing and we are not going to go crazy and make (really) bad decisions.  Let them give us advice, let them have at least that much to look forward to, that way they can feel like they are doing their job and doing their job well.  

This is the time in our lives where we should be out exploring new things, trying out different opportunities that cross our paths, meeting new people, experiencing the world.  Don't let anyone tell you differently...this is OUR time.

And ps: Mom this was totally not directed at you...I know you love me for the all-over-the-place daughter I am and I can never thank you enough for that!  Thank youuuuuu!

Dancing!!

The Electric Cowboy never fails to give me extraordinarily fun nights!  My friends and I went to the Cowboy to shake our tails a bit, and boy did we.  I even rode the mechanical bull!  Didn't last too long but it was quite the sight to see.  I should go dancing more, it is always such a great time...especially with the right group of people.  Dancing is one of those things that gives you such a natural high...I think everyone should dance, and do a lot of it.  It was one of our friends birthdays too which always makes for an adventurous night.  All I have to say is that I will definitely be partaking in the Electric Cowboy's fun at least one more time before I leave...too great to not.  I hope you are all great, and enjoying Spring weather!

Ok, ok, I'll blog

Yah yah I know it's been a bit, but I've been outta town ok? So I have decided that I'm going to call my job that I'm taking out in Los Angeles 'the Job'. I don't really want to name the names of the people I'm working for or really say that much about it because out of courtesy to them I don't think its fair to do so. So....with that said, I will talk about the Job, a lot probably, because that's going to be consuming my life starting in May but discretely of course. For those of you who know the history of the Job and know who I'm working for and what I will be starting to do in May you're all set, for those of you who don't you can either ask me or just try to guess what I'm talking about through all of this. So yeah, that's that.

As for my time out in Los Angeles a couple of weeks ago, holy man. I cannot even tell you how great it was! And I can honestly tell you I AM GOING TO LOVE MY JOB. I am so pumped for it to start. And it's only about 6 weeks away, whoa! I should be heading out there with Rex by about the second week in May. The Job is flying him out there to help me move in and to make sure that he knows where I'll be and who I'll be working with, etc...basically for him just to feel comfy with what I'll be doing out there. How great right? They are AMAZING people.

After coming home from that extravagant adventure I left not four days later to drive home to Madison for a week with Rex. The road trip, through the night I have to add, was really fun. We had a great time just keeping each other awake, laughing, a lot. We got to surprise my mom and sister too, they thought we were getting in later that night. And what a great welcome we received that night...we got snowed in!!! It's a good thing we were having a few beers at my sister and brother in-law's place and we were able to just crash there to wake up and make a tasty breakfast with my wonderfully amazingly nephew, Owen. I'll put some pics up of him..and hopefully I can finagle putting a video of him up too...the funniest thing I've ever seen.


So yeah, that's my life up until now. Oh yeah, I'm done working at the Cafe. It was a great run, but I need this next month to write a lot of Spanish and just be relaxed about leaving. Besides that I'm getting ready to get back into the swing of things tomorrow. Just finished my lesson plan for the week and I just found out I don't have to do any homework for tomorrow, woo! Hope everyone is doing great, I'd love to hear your stories. :)

I expected everyone to be skinny.

Ok so I really wrote this last night but...I didn't get a chance to post it til tonight, sorry!

It really is funny to think about everyone's misconceptions and crazy ideas about what Los Angeles and Hollywood really are. You imagine it to be like what you see in movies and on TV...and it is, sometimes. Driving down the Pacific Coast Highway is a completely surreal experience. Looking at Sony Studios and thinking about all of the amazingly talented people that have been through there, especially back when it was MGM Studios. But in all reality Los Angeles is just like any other huge, major city...just throw in the Tinseltown flare and there you go.

Honestly though, I have to admit that I thought everyone would be skinny and way too tan out here. I know, it's an awful stereotype of LA people...like everyone in Kentucky marries their cousin, but I admit...I thought it true. And yeah, I'd say that the general population is skinnier than anywhere I've ever lived, disregarding Buenos Aires of course (where the average height and weight of a woman is like 5 feet nothing, 95 pounds). The overall concept of 'health' and 'fitness' is HUGE out here...and I LOVE IT. I don't have to explain what gluten is when I go to a restaurant. I asked a simple question kind of leading up to my gluten-intolerance schpeal at the cutest little organic restaurant called Simple Greens but before I even finished my question the guy goes "Do you have a gluten-allergy?" In my head I'm screaming, "I love you! Thank you for understanding me!" Haha.

Right now I am sitting in a newfound wine bar in Culver City. I had a couple of hours to myself tonight so I hit the Trader Joe's, did some walking/sightseeing, and found this quirky, cute place. I came in originally because they were playing Imogen Heap super loud...it intrigued me. Not many people, let alone restaurants/bars, know about Imogen...she's like this hidden unbelievably talented artist that everyone should know. And after one glass of some Spanish white wine and seome serious people watching I'm ready to start another day in this new, and very surreal, city.

(I started, and finished, that day today, and loved every minute of it!)

Traveling

When you travel there is always that euphoric excited/nervous feeling that goes hand in hand together. Whether it's 90% excited, 10% nervous or vice versa it's a great feeling. When you finally get packed, get in the car, drive to the airport and get checked in, the minutes you have to wait until you can actualoly start your voyage feel like hours ( and sometimes are). Depending on where you are departing from you can kind of gauge how long you'll need before your flight to get checked in, go through security, etc. Well from the Little Rock Nat.'l Aiport you honestly never know. This morning I got to the airport the usual 1-1.5 hours early and it took me no more than 10 minutes to get through it all and sitting down with my soy latte writing this. The last time I cam through, however, it took me almost the full hour to get all of it done. You never can tell.

Well getting back to what I was originally talking about, the euphoric feeling of going somewhere new or somewhere familiar. I feel like that euphoria is put on pause when you're just sitting, waiting for the plane to get here and board. Don't get me wrong I am still completely euphoric about going but that feeling takes a different form for a bit. It's like the calm before the storm. You have no idea what's coming or what's in store, all you know is that it's going to turn your world upside-down...in a good way, of course.

Change...for better or worse...I do.

Before I start on about change, I wanted to introduce this blog to YOU. I have been meaning to create a blog for a while but haven't gotten around to it. Not until this last month and with all of its changes have I really felt the need to make one. I want this to be a place where my friends, family, and even those unknown to me, can come and read about where I am, what I am doing, what new foods I've tried (gluten free of course!) and what new adventures I've stumbled upon. And, obviously, this is just another reason for me to mindlessly sit for hours on end in front of the computer being distracted from real life....you know you do it too...don't judge me. Now onto the blogging...

I find it hard sometimes to fully accept change in life. Don't get me wrong, I love change, I crave it even. But when it pulls up and stops on my doorstop sometimes I just get hesitant, a little. My next change that will be taking place is my big move to Los Angeles this May. And yes, I know, it's Los Angeles and its for an amazing job opportunity that I am honest-to-God totally ecstatic about and cannot wait for it to start, but, at the same time I just got here, I just got moved in and I finally feel like things are going well for me. For those of you who know me, and know me well enough, know that my history has not been one filled with much stability and settled-downness. Needless to say, I love moving around. Which is why I am so thrilled at this new change that is happening soon. Can you blame me though for feeling a little hesitant about it? Rex (my boyfriend) and I are in a really good place and I feel like maybe throwing that for a loop could mess something really great up. It's a chance that we are both willing to take, and I could not ask for anymore support and love from him through all this...he has been amazing about it.

So is change all its cracked up to be? We'll see. My change from Minneapolis to Little Rock started out a little rocky but after some adjustments and some me-time, I found a way to make who I am work down here. I suppose that's what being young and "carefree" is all about huh? Having the ability to change and change again, reinventing yourself over and over again to match and fit in wherever you may find yourself. Finding your niche.

I am heading to Los Angeles for a long weekend in two weeks for a "trial run" at the city and at the job. After that I should have many more ideas about the future and what's coming my way down the road. Until then, I'll keep thinking, and stressing, about what is to come...loving every minute of this adventure before it even starts.