I Had A Dream...last night about my friends

Last night I went to sleep and in my dreams I had some visitors. All of them made me happy. One of them made me a little sad. Sad as in nostalgic sad, not as in depressed sad.

I had a dream about going on a weird job interview where the other competing candidate and I were at a picnic table and the interviewer was asking her tons of questions. When it was my turn to be asked, she kept spastically interjecting and I was getting pissed. Where were my friends? They were on the bench beside me. They weren't there for an interview or even as my life character references. They were just there.

And it was weird. I mean, the above is weird in its own right, but that's not super dream weird. It's weird enough to be odd, but not weird enough to be easily distinguished as a dream. At least when I was in the dream. So, anyway, the other interviewee was sitting next to me and mocking that I was wearing a suit (She was in a formal top, but jean cut-offs on the bottom--kind of how you imagine newscasters during the broadcasts). When the interviewer was turned away, the other candidate said to me "You can totally tell that you're not from California because you're way too overdressed." After a few times of cutting me off, I completely shifted to her direction and said "I was kind enough not to interrupt you during your interview and I expect the same courtesy or there will be consequences."

Anyway, she ended up throwing a fit and left, and the interviewer said "Sorry about that. She's clearly not a candidate of your caliber, Ashley, but she looked good on paper."

At this point, I left the picnic table interview in the park with my friends--Anne, Amanda, Schultz, Brooke and Lara. They all supported me and even let me blow off steam about how I wasn't sure if I wanted to work for a company that interviewed girls in cut off shorts in the park at a picnic table.

We went from the park to my old house in Evansville. What made me happy was that I know the type of conversation we were having was making me laugh in my dream and could and will probably be replicated in some form at some point in my life. Maybe not the conversation, but the feeling of being with my true friends having a fun, funny moment.

What made me sad was that I haven't seen or talked to one of these friends in years. There was no falling out, just a falling off. As in, she seemed to fall off the face of the earth. Not that I was all that much better, but I did make several calls and left messages with no return before I gave up. About 18 months after my last attempt, I got a birth announcement for her second baby. I felt horrible because I didn't know she was pregnant. It was then that I realized that we'd really drifted apart.

In the end, I woke up mostly happy because I have great friends who even in my dreams are right by my side supporting me. I think my dreams are telling me that I miss my friends and I'm tired of interviewing.

Made a New Friend, Reconnected with an Old One

Today was a good social day for me. Since I moved to LA, I haven't been too social outside of my job interviews and Facebook. But today as I was finishing up my work out in the apartment complex gym, a guy walked in. I had seen him in the gym a few times and he always gave me a friendly smile.

Well, today I was alone in the gym watching the UT-Vandy basketball game when he came in. "You can change the channel, if you'd like," I said. "It's not a very good game."

That was enough for him to go "You like sports?". And thus began the conversation. Josh and his girlfriend just moved to LA from Atlanta. We talked about his work, our paths to LA and our significant others. It was a good time, and nice to have met someone else who was new. They just moved in the week before we did.

And so you know, there was a purely platonic vibe in our exchange. The love of sports thing has always made being friends with guys an easier task than meeting girl friends.

The other thing I did today was meet up with a friend from high school. It was a lunch get-together and I went to her place in Pasadena. If you've ever reconnected with someone after more than a decade of not seeing them, you know this can be hit or miss. You can either realize that you really didn't have anything in common but proximity or that you actually do.

Luckily, I realized that we're actually more alike that I realized even back then. And she was just as nice and gracious as I remembered. I think we'll probably hang out again in the future, and am thankful for even just a lunch with someone who isn't my long-time love, a cat or potentially hiring me. I look forward to having another one or two catch up sessions with some other Hoosier ex-pats.

All in all, not a bad day.

The Ocean to my right, the hills to my left--Not too shabby

Today I was on the Pacific Coast Highway (aka PCH) for the first time. I was coming back from a job interview and got to take a coastal route home. I literally could've pulled off to the side of the road to dip my toes in the ocean. I should've, but I also wanted to get home to Chef. Plus we have a plan to go to the beach on Monday. It's supposed to be really nice weather and I've got to make use of my free afternoons while I can.

But just the afternoon. My morning will still be spent working on more resumes and researching. I have to keep with the routine because it's working. I got 2 more interviews scheduled for next week. Both were off of tailored letters I sent out this week. All in all, I feel like my days at home during the week are numbered. It's a nice feeling.

I had two interviews this week. One was in person and one via phone. The phone one was fine. Typical questions and I gave some succinct and truthful answers. The in-person one was actually three interviews in one. One with the hiring manager, one with a manager in the department and one with the VP of HR. The company seemed to have some interesting benefits and the vibe from the people was that they all really love working there.

The only thing I hate about interviewing on a Friday is that I always stick out like a sore thumb in my interview suit while everyone else is in casual gear. Actually, come to think of it, that's probably not just a Friday thing. I tend to be overdressed. But I will continue to be overdressed until I get a job, because I don't want someone seeing a casual outfit and thinking "This is as good as it gets?". I can bust out all the jeans and cardigans I want when I'm in a job.

So, it's the weekend now. I'm "off" of the job hunt until Sunday night and still "on" the workout kick until I physically can't do it. I tend to make Sundays a little lighter than regular, but that's the only variance. Lunch tomorrow with some friends from high school. Good times!

Always in My Hoosier Heart

I saw this video today and it's not been up long, but causing a minor ruckus among Big Ten fans. It's an IU tribute to great Hoosier basketball and the promise of a new day. And I know there are many, many people who have chalked IU basketball up to being no longer relevant, but weren't the same pundits saying that 20 years ago about Duke? There is a natural ebb and flow to all sports and flow has admittedly been away from the direction of Bloomington for a while, but it'll come back.

And I have confidence that it will.Why? Blind trust? Stupidity? Being a fan? Probably all of the above. But with that, also comes a rationalization that Tom Creen is a good coach. Probably the right coach for Indiana at a very bad time in the program's history. Time, some wins and support will bring the team back.

In the mean time, I like watching the video below if only for a few things:

1) It makes me remember a time when I didn't think Isiah Thomas wasn't using his hands to grab inappropriate things, but using them to grab rebounds.

2) I love seeing the short shorts and tall socks. Awesome combination.

3) Calbert Cheaney. He was the hero in my hometown and remains so in my heart. Stay Classy, Evansville!

4) Bobby Knight. It's like seeing the really hot, yet slightly crazy, ex that you dated in high school and remembering the good times.

5) It doesn't matter where I'm at, I'm always going to be a Hoosier. And that's a good thing.

So GO IU!!

I'll Take It and Love It

Today was weigh-in day. Technically, everyday can be weigh in day as I'm not on the Biggest Loser, but today was the day when I officially tracked it. And I was happily down 2 pounds. Why am I tracking my weight loss? Well, my family and I are in a weight loss challenge where we all set a goal and a reward. We only get the reward if we ALL hit our goal. It's a little less competitive and more encouraging than the last weight loss challenge I had with Chef.

So, now I feel like I have to lose weight so that I can not be the weakest link. I think NOT being the weakest link has been a motivating factor for centuries and it seems to be working now. I'm working out at least 30-60 minutes a day. Yesterday, I worked out twice. Kind of like my at home last chance workout.

My family is doing amazing. They're all dropping weight which has only made the pressure to make sure I get the 10 pounds I promised off in the next 2 months. That seemed reasonable at the time I made pledge, but the more I work, the more I hope I can make it.

And I lost 2 pounds which makes me feel slightly better. Today I was sore for the first time in a while, and that made me realize that I'm at the very least toning my body. And toning can't be all bad. Plus I'm going to try and get my 5 servings of fruits and vegetables in at least 7 days in the next 14.

So, I'm gonna take my 2 pounds worth of weight and be thankful that any came off this week. And maybe I'll also try to not look at the scale again until next Tuesday. Or maybe not.

A New Routine and Some Perspective

I started a new routine this morning. Mostly because the idea of finding a job was getting to be too overwhelming. You know how everyone says that finding a job can be a full time job in and of itself? Well, that's partially true. It can be just as much of a roller coaster as a regular job. And there tends to be the same amount of paperwork, but the results sometimes aren't there.

I think I liken it to more like losing weight. You do stuff everyday to try and take off the pounds, but the task at times seems insurmountable. You see a few pounds come off and it motivates you more. You see 0.2 pound come back on and it's a fight to get back into the fight.

After my phone interview last week, I realized that I was trying to do too much at once. I was applying half-heartedly to about 10 jobs a day. Not bad, but I wasn't taking the time to really try and distinguish myself on the jobs that I actually really wanted. And why I was applying for jobs that I was qualified for, but didn't really want anyway?? So, I took some time to try and devise a game plan, as well as do some soul-searching on what kind of job I really wanted.

And so I came up with this routine to try and follow. I will be at the computer and ready to go every morning by 9:30 a.m. I will concentrate on my job search for two hours. I will apply for two job listings (posted somewhere) with carefully tailored cover letters. Each day, I will also send a catchy intro email and my resume to two companies that may not having openings, but I would like to work at. I will reply to all emails or phone calls during this time as to not spend all day doing things piece meal.

So, that's my plan for finding a job. I've got another phone interview and an in-person interview this week. I've also set up a meeting with a local AHA employee to get her take on the communications/ PR/ marketing market in LA.

Now, I've got to get my weight loss plan working a little better. I'm working out like crazy (about an hour a day--which is like crazy compared to the 30 minutes a day I used to do). I eat plenty of calories, but I count them. And despite this, I've still not lost any weight so far. I started to get frustrated when Chef took me aside to say "It's about making the lifestyle changes. Not just losing weight." Which is very true and good perspective. But I also need to look better in my clothes. Just sayin'.

I'm A Teeter Totter

I realized this week that I've been a little more moody than normal. Or at least a little more susceptible to moodiness. I think it's a combination of all the things going on in my life. Here's are things that have gone up and down this week:

• My weight (thankfully, down a net 0.2 lbs right now)
• My anger with those who watch crappy stuff while I'm in the gym
• My happiness to watch SportsCenter while working out
• My annoyance with the cats for moving or dumping their water container
• My urge to kill Mila for scratching my face
• The scratch on my face's appearance
• My urge to kill Mila for pooping outside the litter box for no apparent reason
• My interest in Bowl games
• My nervousness for the Colts play off game tomorrow
• My anger in not being able to hear anyone who calls my cell phone (aka our only phone) while I'm in our apartment (this is getting fixed with a VOIP phone number and computer headset friends!)
• My enthusiasm about job prospects
• My enthusiasm for staying away from alcohol
• My willpower for anything
• My continued sleep patterns
• My disdain for whoever spray tanned Bob Barker for the State Farm commercial
• My loneliness
• My anger/jealousy over Chef's midday naps
• My belief that a teenager can lose 90 lbs in 90 days and it be healthy (C'mon MTV. I'm not sure "I Used To Be Fat" is a good example)
• My excitement over finding out that Glee's Brittany used to be a background dancer for Beyonce and was in the Single Ladies Grammy performance
• My love of being on the computer for 8 hours a day for working, job searching and pleasure

That's all I can think of right now, but as I am a teeter totter, I'm sure my love of the list will waiver and I'll add or delete more.

I'm Certainly Not Simple

I've taken to listening to the San Diego sports talk station. Mostly because they don't talk Lakers Basketball the entire day. In fact, they mostly talk about NFL football and lately about Big Ten football as the San Diego State Football coach (Brady Hoke) is rumored to be courted by Michigan to be their next football coach.

It discussing just that situation when the radio host was talking to a former NFL player originally from Illinois. Here's a snippet of that conversation:

Host: You're from one of those Midwest states, right? Iowa?

Former NFL player: Illinois.

Host: Yeah, I knew it was one of those states in the middle that start with an I. I don't really care about those states. They're just flatlands that I fly over when going from coast to coast.

(The host was smart enough to state that he was probably going to get killed for that one). The host then went on to ask the former NFL player from Illinois if he could explain what it meant when other people described coach Brady Hoke as a "Midwest guy."

Host: What does that mean? When I think of the Midwest, I think of people who just want to move to the coasts. Nobody moves from the coasts to the Midwest. Hoke wouldn't want to move to Michigan to shovel snow. So, when I think of someone being a "Midwesterner" I think of them as simple.

Former NFL player: Well, now I'm offended at that.

And so was I. Frankly, I realize that no one think of the Midwest until election night when they're the country that decides the fate of the election. Or until a snow storm hits Chicago and delays flights. But really? Simple? That's ridiculous. And I take offense to that.

Here are things about being from the Midwest that I would describe as being inherently Midwestern. All of which are better descriptions than "simple."

• Hardworking
• Strong work ethic (according to Wikipedia, the Midwest has a higher employment to population ratio than the Northeast, the West, the South or the SunBelt states)
• Humble
• Smart
• Quietly strong
• Speaking "standard" English- no accents here
• Genuine
• Truthful
• Honest

Those are just off the top of my head. A none of them are offensive. So, radio host of 1090 a.m. in San Diego. Get a thesaurus and an open mind before you open your mouth.

Clearly, not meant for me

I had a phone interview today unlike any I've ever had before. It was so different that I had to call a few friends to make sure that my experience was not the norm. I mean, it's been a while since I've been actively ON job interviews, but I spent the better part of last year conducting job interviews. So I'd think it wouldn't be too different than what I was asking.

Clearly, I was wrong. Or maybe my expectations were off. But normally a phone interview is a brief screening call. You ask a few questions about the resume, the background, etc. Use the call to see if the person can put a full sentence together, speak intelligently and is more than just a piece of paper.

That was what I was expecting. I had done some research on the company. Checked out their client list. Their vendors, their executives, etc. Checked out the verbiage they use on their site. All that good stuff. When I go for a face to face is when I really spend some time researching. I only did THAT much because I wanted to be able to craft any questions that I had around the position and corporate culture. Apparently, I didn't do enough.

First, she began by explaining the process. A phone interview, an in-person interview with herself and another EVP PLUS a writing test, an in-person interview with their entire sales team, and an interview with the CEO. I thought the AHA was bad, but they've got NOTHING on this place. Did I mention the position they're offering is NOT a management position?

Anyway, instead of the "getting to know you" questions, I got the following:

• After checking out client list, who would you say is missing?
• What would you do to bring a new client on? What if you didn't have a travel budget to visit them? (At this point, I mentioned reading Business Week and using critical thinking to come up with some prospects. In one of her comments later, she said "Business Week is good and all, but it reports on things that have happened in the past. We need you to read things that predict the trends." I thought that was a little condescending.)
• Who are our biggest competitors?
• What is our business model? (I had to ask for clarification as to what she wanted me to answer. The next question was: How do you think we make our money?)
• How do you feel about building relationships with brilliant minds? Do you feel you could handle carrying on conversations? (I was a little offended by that one)
• Clearly you don't have a tech background (this was for a company that deals in the tech industry), how do you think you'd learn about tech?
• What kind of hardware, software and social media do you use?

So, I'm trying to tell her about her own industry without having any background and I'm trying to guess at what their company does with only a very convoluted website to go by (tech people aren't generally naturally good writers). I'm getting no feedback, so I could be completely wrong (although I knew I wasn't that wrong--it's a basic business, not performing open heart surgery). As I'm trying to answer these questions, I feel two things: 1) I don't really want to work for this place and 2) they clearly aren't sold that I'm not a idiot.

When it was my turn to ask questions, I asked what qualities they were most looking for in someone to fulfill the position, what the most pressing issues would be when someone was on board and what the company's vision was. She seemed a little perturbed to have to answer my questions. When I asked her what the vision for the company was, she read off a mission statement. When I asked her the vision for the future (expecting something about growth, increased membership, increased prestige, etc), she said--"that is our vision for the future." Clear as mud.

So, please make me feel better and let me know that all interviews are not like this one. Especially not phone interviews. Luckily, I got another bite today and two more loose ends, so there's always hope.

In fact, there are five words that inspire and terrify me at the same time: "This is only the beginning."

Brett, You Should've Left a Year Ago

I'll admit I'm a Monday Morning Quarterback on this one. But considering what came out today, I would say that it's appropriate.

As he deadpanned into the camera and assured America he knew it was time to go, I couldn't help but think Brett Favre was at least a year too late in coming to that realization. I mean, America was ready to see him go about 3 years ago.

Look, Brett Favre owns a lot of records and sold a lot of Wrangler jeans in his day, but the guy sucked wind this year. If you ask most fans (except for Vikings fans), they would've preferred the guy left when the Packers went to Aaron Rodgers. Because after he left the Packers, Brett Favre went from "cowboy" and "gunslinger" to a joke. Him NOT retiring was kind of like the annual spurning of Susan Lucci at the Daytime Emmys. It became a farce of its own.

And while we're at it, can all the sportswriters, commentators, and anyone who makes a comment on Brett Favre, please refrain from calling him a "gunslinger". It's tired, old and not creative at all. Instead of "gunslinger" say what you really mean "A guy who can throw really hard and either is very accurate or an interception nightmare."

So, Favre says he's going to retire and we all want to believe him. We want to think that no idiotic teammates will make the trek to Mississippi and fluff his super big ego to make him think that his best year is just on the horizon. He just has to show up. No training camp or physical workout required.

We want to believe things about guys who've reached a certain level of fame. We want to believe that Brett Favre didn't sexually harass Jen Sterger or the two new team massage therapists that came forward today. We know deep down the truth probably lies between the wild allegations and the even wilder denials. There was probably some overly sexualized flirting and things that would get a C-level executive fired from a normal company. But Brett isn't a C-level executive and the NFL is not a normal company. (Plus with the ladies making the accusations in the same breath as they're trying to get settlements, it makes the allegations easier to brush off for the average or die-hard fan).

So Brett, if you wanted to avoid this ridiculousness, you should've taken the ego hit that Green Bay served you and retired without really playing for any other team. But you went to the Jets. You had an okay year. Then you went to the Vikings. You had one great year and one year that made fishing in Mississippi look nice.

But just because Brett Favre didn't listen to me or half of America, doesn't mean that there aren't a few lessons to be learned:

1) Never put your sexual harassment in digital form. Tiger learned that one the hard way.

2) If you're going to sexually harass someone, make sure it's a money-hungry, hot girl. Their stories will bring up the most doubts.

3) If 90 percent of the people you talk to are telling you something, don't do the opposite JUST because you don't believe in crowdsourcing your life decisions.

Bye bye Brett.

The World Has Come To An End

Today was the weirdest day in my shopping life. I went into Target and came out with NOTHING. That's right. . .nothing. It was the first time in my life that I went in with a list and left empty-handed. Mostly because the shelves were bare.

Perhaps it was my fault. Perhaps I thought too highly of Target and their ability to actually stock their shelves. The place was really missing a lot of stuff. Chef and I went in for a few things: 1) a level, 2) swiss cheese slices, 3) provolone cheese slices, 4) an iPhone arm band for jogging.

Went to the Electronics section. No armband for an iPhone. Just an iPod. Not big enough.

Went to the Hardware section. No levels. No tape measures. Just some drills and drill bits.

Went to the grocery section. No swiss or provolone cheese slices. Just cheddar cheese slices and rows and rows of Muenster. How much Muenster does a store need to stock?

Having struck out, we went to Ralph's. Ralph's is really Kroger. Chef corrects me every time I call it Kroger, and I get pissed. Kroger OWNS Ralph's and I spent more than the last decade going to Kroger, so I feel like if I want to call it Kroger between the two of us, I should be able to without remark.

Names aside, it was hard to believe and a little disappointing that the store I love didn't love me back this Sunday night.

Oh well. At least the Colts got into the play offs.

Two Things I read Today That Blew Me Away

While I have read from two creative books today, I still can't quite give up my Business Week. But I am going through it much more slowly. And today I was catching up on the year end issue and it has some great stats.

Here was one that caught me a little by surprise:

• According to antivirus software maker AVG, 92% of U.S. children two and under have photos on the Internet. (Business Week December 20, 2010). Clearly these kids aren't putting themselves on the Internet. While kids nowadays seem to come out of the womb being able to type and navigate the Interweb, I'm fairly certain that they must develop some motor skills before this is actually true. So that means that some relative of millions of children are posting a picture on the web. Remember when it was scary to actually put your real name on the Internet, let alone a picture?

• Secondly, e-books overtook hardcover book sales this year for the first time in history. For every 100 books sold in hardcover, there were 143 sold in digital form (Business Week again). To me, that's just nuts. Or at least it would've been a year ago. Before I had a Kindle (which I got last year), I would've never dreamed of loving anything more than a hardback book. I love cracking the binding, the smell of the print, and the tactile floating from page to imaginary dream world. But I soon found that a Kindle will still take me away and for half the price. I also like seeing the percentage of a book that I've read. It's a nice perk that I had to guess at with hardbacks.

The Kindle thing kind of changes my dreams. Well, not changes, but alters the perception of what it's like in the end. I always dreamed of having my novel (which will eventually be finished) shipped to me and opening the box to see a wonderfully intriguing cover staring back at me. Having it delivered to my e-reader, isn't quite the same. However, if I end up getting my book published, I'm sure the euphoria would ease the disappointment.

One Last Thought for 2010

Well, probably more than one thought. But it is in there under the wire. Technically it's 1 a.m. on the east coast and after midnight in my old time zone. But it's only 10 here, so I'm under deadline.

2010 wasn't too bad of a year. It started out hectic and the first six months were trying, but the next six months were a whirlwind of change, excitement and adventure. After years of inertia, I made the move. And while only time will tell how successful it turns out to be, I know that I'll never regret moving but I would've eternally regretted NOT moving.

So as 2011 approaches, I look at where I am today and I think "where do I want to be next year?" and then I work backwards to see what it's gonna take to get there. Looking at where I want to be, here are some ways that I'm going to get there (aka my resolutions):

• I will watch what I eat and track it at least 6 days a week.
• I will exercise and work exercise into my daily habits in some form or another.
• I will do work I truly love.
• I will blog at least 3 times a week.
• I will write for at least an hour a week.

So, let's hope those work! Happy New Year's everyone!

I'm Starting To Feel Good About Myself

Let me rephrase that title as I've always felt good about some aspect of my life or another. And because I have a very supportive family, I don't think I've had a day in my life that I haven't felt smart. I might not always feel pretty or thin or like a good cook, but I've always felt intelligent. And that's a great trait to have. Especially when you're job hunting.

Because I have good friends and colleagues that have given me good references on linkedin and via phone, and who have helped me craft my resume, I'm actually getting some really good traction in LA. As previously blogged about, I've had an interview already. It went well. As well as those things that go. One thing I learned from doing interviews myself is that sometimes the most qualified candidate is not necessarily the best fit for the other personalities on the team. It's really a crap shoot and now that I've been lucky enough to be on the other side, I know this and don't get pissed off. Before when I'd interview for a job and didn't get it, I'd be really mad--like "how could they NOT like me?". They might very well have liked me but already had someone like me on their staff. It's not personal and I'm mature enough to know that now.

But today was a good day. I got a phone interview scheduled for one position, got a second online personality assessment for another position, got an email reading that I will be scheduled for a face to face interview for another position AND got a freelance gig that's gonna be fun in the mean time. Not too shabby for someone who doesn't know a lot of people in LA. And next week I'm heading down the LA American Heart Association office to offer my services and time to volunteer. I didn't think I'd do it, but after thinking about it, I realized it could be a great way to meet some new contacts and get an expert's (aka the Communications Director's) opinion on ad and PR agencies in the market.

So, I'm feeling good about myself and my future here. Although right at this second, the only thing making me feel sad is the incessant "Visit Music City: Music Calls Us Home" ads that are playing during the Music City Bowl right now. The photos are all from places within 3 miles of my old stomping grounds. Damn you, ESPN, for your nostalgic intros! Miss you, Nashville and Nashville Friends!!!

He's Still Cute, even in a Fringe Jacket

Last night Chef and I went to the movies last night to see "True Grit." We had originally planned to see it on Christmas, but laziness got the best of us (laziness and mimosas and roast turkey and pumpkin pie to be honest). So we went last night. It was our first LA theater-going experience and my first case of sticker shock. It cost us $12.75 to see a movie here. That's the FIRST time that I was a little perturbed at a price. But I got over it for Matt Damon.

I have long since broken my streak of seeing every Matt Damon movie on the weekend it comes out, and even broke my streak of seeing every Matt Damon movie in the theater. However, it does go to show that if I'm going to pay to see something on a movie screen that is frankly on a little bigger than our gaudy large TV at home, then my dollars still vote for the big Matt Damon. It is a crush that started more than a decade ago, reached some pretty embarrassingly high (or low depending on the perspective) levels of addiction and has since mellowed to a manageable amount of adoration. But I have to say that the Matt Damon horse was a pretty good one to pick. He's stood up pretty well over time and has only seemed more normal with age. Two things I look for in a Hollywood crush.

We laid out the bucks to see "True Grit" and the movie was pretty good. And Matt Damon still looked good with weird hair, a long ass moustache and fringe leather jacket. Not too shabby. The only odd thing was the man sitting next to me. No, not Chef. There was a guy sporting a leather man-purse ("There's skittles in there!"-name that movie), a bag of popcorn and a drink. He was alone and got up twice to get the free refills (on a side note, I love that this theater has the fountain drink stations that allow you to serve yourself. I mean, nothing holds up a line longer than filling up the large jug of Coke Zero that I require to sit still for 2 hours). All of that--not so weird. He just had an odd look about him and it made me lean myself towards Chef a little more than normal.

And halfway through the movie, I knew my suspicions were true when the chick on the OTHER side of the guy (he was there by himself) said in a normal voice "Quit touching me and trying to touch me!" and then moved to sit in the empty seat on the other side of her friend. The guy then got up and left the theater. I was thankful that the woman sat with another woman. I think if it had been a man with her, there might've been a fight. And that would've interrupted my Matt Damon viewing, which in the scheme of things, is way more important than some potential sexual assault. (You know, I'm kidding).

So bottom lines:

True Grit-worth the price.

Creepy guy sits next to you in the theater: hope there's a single woman on the other side of you to take the brunt of the creepiness.

IKEA, you almost got the best of me

I went to IKEA today. I have to block out the day to do it. IKEA is about 30 minutes away, not that far in the scheme of things, but still in Burbank. Plus it's IKEA. I always get sucked in for longer than I think I'll be.

Today was no exception. I was wavering on what to buy because Chef wasn't with me and I knew if I bought something he didn't like, I'd be heading back. So, I ended up getting some things we wanted to help make the place look like a home. Some shelves, some plants, some rugs, some glassware. All the little things that add the "someone really lives here" look to a place. I mean, I'm sure the clutter on our bar does that just fine, but it's nice to have a plant do some of the talking too.

But what I gained in finishing touches, I lost in precious time on earth. I mean, it's nice to get out of the house, but the IKEA experience is not designed for easy in and out trips. Damn you, Swedes, for your clever weaving designs so that I HAVE to walk down every square inch of your store before I leave. Damn you, for having not one but TWO places for me to get something to eat. One for lunch and one for dinner, apparently, because that's how long it takes to get through the store. Going to IKEA today was the only time in recent memory that I knew to pack snacks in advance. I knew that a baggie full of salt and vinegar almonds would curb the hunger and help me avoid the meatballs and ice cream.

So without Chef, I did not have enough manpower to load my car in one trip. I had to go across the street to the parking garage, drive around the block in two different directions to get into the already packed loading zone. Thankfully,because they think of everything, IKEA has a cart bitch. No, not someone to wrangle the empty carts, but someone whose sole job is to stand by your already paid for items while you go get your car. There's no excuse not to buy a shitload of Swedish designed, Chinese made stuff.

Other than IKEA, today has been noticing all the diet-related things that are going on. Oh, New Year's Resolution, you have become a multi-million dollar boost to the diet and fitness industry. Jennifer Hudson Weight Watcher ads everywhere (she does look fabulous though). A new Hungry Girl TV show premiering in January. A new Biggest Loser. Heavy on A & E. I Used to Be Fat on MTV. Stories in US about Mila Kunis being 95 lbs for Black Swan (which to me seems NUTS).

Even MTV has drank the Kool-Aid. They're replaying a "True Life: I Can't Stay Thin" on these two people that yo-yo diet. Like crazy diet--400 calories a day for months on end and then 4 burgers and 3 orders of fries in a binge. How can they even eat that much food without feeling full after a few bites or even two burgers?

Next up a new "True Life"-- "I'm addicted to food." Every time I start to think I'm addicted to food, I see something like this that makes me realize that while I've had a problem, it's nothing like it used to be. Now, it's about getting back on it.

I've lost about 4 lbs in the last two weeks. A good start, but I'm finding that if I haven't eaten close to my calories by the end of the day, I'm popping in some pumpkin pie. It's not putting me over the calorie count for the day, but I'm struggling with needing something sweet to end each day. If it starts getting me off track, I'm going to have to cut it out.

The family weight loss challenge starts on Saturday!!

My Gift To You

Merry Christmas, Everyone! My gift to you is my favorite skit from last week's Saturday Night Live with Paul Rudd. It's my favorite skit because it also features Paul McCartney and Adam Sandberg. And because I find myself singing this song all week.

Here are the top 5 reasons I like "Stumblin'":

5) Paul McCartney's Tiny Harmonica

4) I can imagine the pitch meeting to get Paul McCartney went something like this "Well, you get to wear a puffy shirt AND a satin cowboy shirt."

3) The music is Dolly Parton's 9 to 5 which makes me smile.

2) I love three different types of Bears.

1) Paul Rudd's hips during the tiny harmonica solo are mesmerizing.

Merry Christmas!

I Need To Find My Freak Flag

I've been thinking the last couple of days about how normal I seemed to have gotten. And I'm not so happy about it. Maybe "normal" isn't the right word. What I think is that I've become too much like who I thought I was supposed to be at 30 and not enough like who I was at 20. Or something like that.

I need to find my freak flag again so I can fly it. And I think part of that goes into finding what it is that I like to do and doing it. Which means that I need to get back (again and always) into the habit of reading and writing. The writing is all on me. I can do that by getting my butt in gear and getting in front of the computer.

The reading is a different matter. I read every day. But right now I've been reading magazines. And not particularly creative ones. I can't give up Business Week. There's a part of me that just likes to be prepared for when I might need to know that TARP bailout money is being paid back quicker than expected and will produce a multi-billion dollar profit.

But I need to take more time to read some weird, fun, funny things that I used to. Suggestions are always welcome.

Once the reading and writing start, the juices start flowing and my mind starts going to weird places. It's those weird places that I miss right now. I miss the odd things that pop into your head and stir up even more odd things. My thoughts are way too vanillla right now. And not in a delicious way.

I'm going to start with the books and reading, but also am actively looking for ways to find my freak flag. I'll write about them as I figure them out. But if you have any ideas, let me know.

Gym and Laundry but No Tanning

It seems as if my days have gotten into a routine. Maybe not the type of routine that I'd like (as I'd prefer to have the routine dictated by a job), but a routine nonetheless. I get up about 9 or so (later than I normally would, but I'll explain that later), pull on my gym clothes, brush the teeth, and pet the cats. I get to the gym and pray that there's no one in there. It doesn't happen very often.

Usually I'm stuck watching The View or Regis and Kelly. It totally befuddles me that guys will turn it on those shows. I understand the women who watch it, but if I want my time on the treadmill, I don't want Elizabeth Hasselbeck in the background mocking me with her skinny ass and uptight views. Or Sherry Whatever her name is that is an absolute idiot in all forms of the word.

I prefer my time on the treadmill watching SportsCenter. The stories are bite-sized and break up my routine. It also helps that there's a plethora of fit dudes egging me on as I sweat. That always helps. In fact, I'm fairly certain that's why I was successful with my boot camp.

But I digress. After the gym, I wash the pools of sweat off and slap some stuff on my body. Some days I go out and about. I make a run to Target or the grocery store or just driving around an area that I'm curious about. Other days I stay in the complex and do laundry (like today). By mid-afternoon, I'm back to hang out with Chef. The last couple of days, we've either watched movies or played Lego Harry Potter on Xbox (which cements my role as a geek).

I also enjoy the mail coming every afternoon. We put our Christmas cards on the wall near the bar and it's a little festivity to the place. I have gotten two packages so far and I'm holding out until Friday to open them. While we aren't celebrating the traditional way, it still IS Christmas and I want to have something to open. It's killing me though. I'm not a patient person by nature.

Then cooking some dinner, watching TV and more Harry Potter game. It's about 2 or so before we head to bed. Or at least I head to bed. Then it's up again to start a new day.

At this point, I'm still checking the employment listings and submitting resumes every day. However, I know that between now and the new year, I don't really expect to hear much. It's the dead period. So, I'm going to enjoy it for now.

Things to Remember When It's December

As I've gone out and about LA (or at least West LA), the last couple of days, I've come to realize a few things for those of us who dare to leave our houses to shop, eat, live or browse during December.

• There's no reason to stop short in a parking garage. Seriously, if there's a sign that says there are 2 spaces on level 1 and 251 on Level Two, just drive on up. Don't circle level one and then stop short in front of the cute little Sentra behind you because you see someone with brake lights on. There are elevators, so there's really no chance of you having to exert yourself any more by parking on level 2. Yes, gray Mercedes SUV, I'm talking to you.
• You can't circumvent a line at the cash register by pretending you don't see the partitioned off line. Well, I guess you can try, but expect to be yelled at by the 15-20 (if you're lucky--50-60 if you're not) people waiting in front of you. You can try pretending like you don't speak English, but the lady speaking Korean behind me seemed to understand the concept.
• Candy Canes have calories. I personally think its bullshit that ANYTHING mint has calories. Or gum. Anything that's used to freshen your breath--even a candy cane--should be a free pass. I think that's actually in the Bill of Rights near the life and liberty part.
• I don't know why Parking Garages have attendants. There's a lady that works at the parking garage at the Target I go to and literally ALL she does is wave her arms at the cars. She doesn't vary the wave or use the wave to direct cars in the direction of empty spaces. She's literally waving them along. I think the lines and arrows painted on the floor and signs are enough for me.

That's all I have for now. I'm sure I'll have more as Chef and I are heading to the mall on Christmas Eve. Not really because we want to, but because I got an email today for $200 off a second pair of prescription glasses. That means Chef could get two pairs of glasses for the price of one. And since his last pair is irreparably warped from falling asleep with them still on, it seems like this deal might be one we can't pass up. But he needs a new prescription, the coupon expires after Friday and the only appointment for an exam we could was for Friday morning. Merry Christmas for us!

It's Not You, California, It's Me. I'm Fat. . . Again

Because of the stereotype of California and the supposed abundance of great looking, skinny people, I was ready to feel bad about myself for weeks on end. That was wrong. There are plenty of good looking people here and a higher ratio of them than in Tennessee (not that there aren't plenty of hotties in Tennessee). But it wasn't the plethora of good looking people that made me feel bad about my appearance.

It was me.

When it comes down to it, it is always you that makes yourself feel good or bad about yourself. Whether its appearance, intelligence, affluence or status, its really your choice what you strive for and how you judge yourself. And normally, I feel pretty good about myself. After I lost the big chunk of weight a few years ago, I've been happy with my appearance. Some days happier than others. My weight goes up. I start paying attention again. I count calories. I find some exercise regime that I like. The weight goes down.

This time the weight went up too far. I'll be honest. Last week I was 34 pounds heavier than my lowest weight (post-puberty). That was a wake-up call. I was still pretty far from my heaviest weight ever, but that's not the best measurement stick. So, I started paying attention again.

I can't say I didn't enjoy putting on the pounds. It's hard not to when you're moving, especially across country. I had to have "one last meal" at all my favorite Nashville restaurants (that added about 14 of the 34 pounds). Then I just couldn't pass up all the great places we ate at as we were driving across the country. I mean we might NEVER eat at Sophie's Mexican Kitchen near the Grand Canyon ever again, right? (That added another 10 pounds). Plus breakfast is a soothing meal on the road and especially when you're "depressed" and "sad" for leaving, so a Croissanwich and hash rounds become you're morning hit of crack to get through the day (another 5 pounds). And lastly, there was the joy of the thousands of new restaurants to try here in LA. I mean, you HAVE to find the best cheeseburger, pizza and Chinese takeout in town, right? Right! So that was the last 5 pounds. And some of that weight can easily be attributed to last cocktails, first cocktails, wine, beer and the abundance of social drinking that comes with a farewell, as well.

So, now it's back to counting calories. Eating fruits and veggies at home. Hitting the treadmill at least 30 minutes once a day, if not doing some extra walking or running a second time. I'm determined to get lower than my lowest weight by next Christmas, so that I'm not complaining about my clothes being too tight. I'm complaining about them being too loose. I also don't want to be relegated to stretchy leggings and oversized shirts, cardigans and sweaters, like I tend to be sporting now. I'm only thankful that those types of clothing are in style now.

So for my own peace of mind and piece of self-confidence, I'm back in full force. Yes, it's a little crazy to do it before Christmas, but I'm going to take a break for ONE meal so that I can enjoy a celebratory meal out with Chef. But only that meal. I am determined that that meal will not become a trend or that the holidays away from home will not be an excuse to eat whatever I want, whenever I want.

Wish me luck.

Or join me! I'm using the My Fitness Pal App on the iphone--it's also a free logging website (www.myfitnesspal.com) My username is Awrye.

Rain Makes Me Nervous

It started raining yesterday in LA. Not that rain is exceptionally noteworthy, but it was the first overcast day since we moved here. And the sprinkles started and then some heavy rain, but nothing I'd consider a downpour or anything of that nature. '

However, it was about 4 a.m. when I started hearing what sounded like waves outside our bedroom window. We're close the ocean in a sense that we are only about 15 miles away from the coast, but 15 miles is not nearly enough to hear the lapping of water on sand.

I looked out the window to see cars on the road next to our apartment slowing down (if they had enough time) and skidding through flooded street. The wave sound was the sound of the water lapping against the parked cars on the side of the street. We live near a busy street. It's 3 lanes on each side. We've also come to realize that we live with people who aren't used to flash flooding.

By the time I woke up and got out of bed, the flooding had subsided and the street was wet, but passable. The rains had dwindled and it looked like a soggy day. However, around 11 a.m. they kicked back up again and by early afternoon, you couldn't see road for about half a block. The water was standing about 8 inches high.

As entertaining as it was to watch all these cars come to a screeching halt in time to see their cars under a huge spray, it also made me nervous. Anyone who lived in Nashville in May knows what I'm talking about. It was during the flood that I learned it only takes a foot of water to sweep away a car. That rains can become raging rapids in less time than it takes to get to the supermarket 4 blocks away. There's a point when you start wondering if you have flood insurance. Realizing that even if you do have flood insurance, the roof might collapse from all the rain collected on it. That while being a part of history is fun, it's much more enjoyable in, say, a witnessing a no-hitter kind of way instead of a being a part of a 100 year flood kind of way.

They say Los Angeles hasn't had rain like this in a decade. Well, I'm tired of being a part of memorable weather. The next history-making weather I want to be a part of is the longest streak of consecutive 72 degree and sunny days in Southern California history. Of course, I'll have to wait another 4 days for that to begin as the rain isn't supposed to let up until Thursday.

I know those of you suffering in snow have little sympathy, but I thought I'd vent nonetheless.

It Doesn't Really Feel Like Christmas

First of all, let me say that I'm not complaining about weather. I mean, one of the reasons we moved here was to have some nice weather. However, when it's December 17th and there are palm trees around, it seems weird to think that in a week it'll be Christmas and it's rainy and 60 degrees out. There's no chance of a white Christmas, and I'm okay with that.

It's just the lack of acknowledgement that it is Christmas time. I knew this one was going to be a weird one anyway. It's my first Christmas in California and my first Christmas in my life that I won't be with my family. Well, not all of my family. I would be remiss if I didn't recognize that Chef is my family too. A very important part of it.

But anyway, aside from the crowds in shopping complexes and some decorations around retail outlets, it's not a very spirited place right now. Some decorations on houses, but that's about it. No snow or cold chill or mistletoe or office parties. And it's not like Chef and I are tearing up the decorating spirit either. I have my IU Santa out, but we've never had a tree or many decorations. There's just no place to put them and I'm sure the kitties would tear up a tree.

So, no Christmas spirit yet. We've already planned to go to Ruth's Chris (our place of celebration) on Christmas Eve and to see a Matt Damon movie (which is a western, so really the best of both worlds for satisfying the two of us) on Christmas. Hopefully that will be enough to get us in the spirit. If not, there's always next year. . .

Back to the Work World

I got a call Monday morning from a sporting goods company that has an availability for a PR coordinator (and no, it's not Gus Doerner's LA). It was a surprising call because I had only submitted my application on Saturday night. I did, however, mention that I'd seen more basketball games than any woman except Coach Krzyzewski's wife. That might've helped.

I was ecstatic that I got the call. Don't ever get me wrong about that. I was mostly shocked. I wasn't expecting to hear from people so quickly, as I just started looking hardcore last week. Whether or not I get the job, it has already been a boost in my confidence that I got an interview already. Of course, after being out of the work world for the last couple of weeks, I have to remember how I'm supposed to act. I've done my company research. I've driven the route to the place to know how long it's gonna take me to get there. I've prepped some answers to commonly asked interview questions. I even have my favorite basketball player of all time picked out (Bill Russell, for those who care).

So now I just need to not psych myself out. Remember my experience in interviewing people. It's so weird how personality, some answers and timing play into getting a job or not. I just have to be who I am (which is awesome) and hope that the position is a right fit for me and vice versa.

Wish me luck!

When in Doubt, Cling to Sports

I watched the IU game today. It was simultaneously happy and sad. Happy that they did so well. Sad that Kentucky (and particularly Calipari) is still winning.

On Thursday, I watched the Colts-Titans game. It made me simultaneously happy and sad. Happy that I was able to watch the game when I was clearly out of market and happy for the win. Sad that the game was in Nashville and I thought of all my friends who were there. Also a little sad that the game got so close.

My love of sports has been strong since I was a kid. It grew exponentially when I moved to Nashville. Part of it was out of the new, strong Football environment. Part of it was out of necessity to stay away from boredom. I didn't have cable TV for the first two years I was in Nashville. If you know anything about TV on Saturdays on your big 4 networks, you know that sports is on AT LEAST one of them. When you have nothing else to watch, you don't mind pro tennis so much.

So, it comes as no surprise that I'm clinging to sports once again. When everything else changes in your life, the consistency of NFL Sunday is at least something to cling on to. Sports Talk radio in a different market or just tuning into Sportscenter. Its the same. The stories are the same in Tennessee or Indiana or California. Plus I know more about sports than the average girl. I know WAY more about sports than the average California girl. Not even close. That wasn't so much the case in Tennessee. Most of the girls there at least know SEC Football. The guys here in California don't really know football. Maybe pro football or USC (which is essentially the same, right?). Anyway, I like the element of surprise. It takes guys aback here when I spout out anything sports related. I'd missed that a little.

Maybe I can use it to my advantage. . .

It Was My Mistake From the Onset

It was my mistake. Chef had gone to bed early which meant that I got to have the TV all to myself. What do I do? I land on the last 30 minutes of "Marley & Me" on HBO. I've seen "Marley & Me" so I knew that the last 30 minutes are like cry-a-palooza on steroids. And it was of course enough to set me off.

Marley reminds me of my dog, Pepper. Not the best dog in the world, but loved and loving nonetheless. And less than a month after I moved with Pepper to Nashville, he was too sick to go on. One year after my mother died of breast cancer that metastasized to her liver, our dog had gotten cancer in his liver. It was too much of a coincidence. I finally realized that this dog that I thought was mine, was actually hers. Years of her threatening to make him into Chinese Food was nothing in the end but frustrated rhetoric. When she died, he spent his nights in my bed comforting me and his days in her spot on her bed remembering.

My dad often calls the picture I took of Pepper and I just before going to put him down at the vet's one of the saddest pictures he's ever seen. I can't say that I disagree. The moment was one of the hardest in my life. There aren't many times that you decide whether or not something lives. At least not something larger than a bug. And I know others have had to make that decision too. Never a fun or easy thing to do for animals, people or anything in between.

So, "Marley & Me" ends and I'm in a crying fit by myself in the living room when Genghis and Mila come over to me and snuggled in deep. They're not dogs, but in a pinch, they'll do just fine.

The Things that Are Different

There are inevidently things that are different when you move across state lines. Those things you notice right off as being completely odd. The last time I moved to Tennessee, it was odd that you couldn't get your car registration and your driver's license in the same place.

In California, it was the license branch. We got there when it opened, waited maybe 20 minutes, and then had to submit my passport and Tennessee license, pay $31 and go get my picture taken (which for the record is not as nice a picture as the odd license, but I digress). After the picture, I had to take a written test. Yes, that's right. I had to take a 36 question test about traffic laws. Traffic laws in general, I aced. It was the California specific laws that I had trouble with. For example, I didn't know that they had passed a law making it illegal to smoke in a car with someone under 18 inside. Why would I know that?

I passed the test, but just barely. It probably would've helped if I had had the test booklet to study before we went in, but I didn't know we would have to take a test. I mean, in Tennessee I just had to fill out some paperwork. No test. Take your new picture and leave with your license.

That's the other thing that is completely bizarre about California. Chef and I didn't leave the DMV with new licenses. We'll get in the mail. . .7 weeks from now. WHAT?!?! And the lady punched a hole in my old license. So, I have my old ID with a hole RIGHT THROUGH THE BIRTHDATE (which is the only thing people need to see on the license) and a temporary paper license for the next 7 weeks.

After the DMV experience, Chef was done for the day. I had the pleasure of opening our new checking account (we went with Wells Fargo), taking back a defective purchase from Best Buy, buying my niece and nephew their Christmas presents and the nephew's birthday present, getting a manicure and going to Trader Joe's. The last two were just for my enjoyment. The manicure was okay. Cost less than Nashville, but I didn't get a drink offered when I came through the door, the towels were kind of shabby, the nail polish was NOT OPI or Essie, but some off brand that didn't provide any kind of coverage. So, I will continue the search for my nail salon.

The thing that sucked was that I love pedicures, but couldn't even attempt it. Today was the first day that I could put shoes on with my busted toe, but that was pushing the limit. I know the nail is coming off. It's not really attached to my toe. I would love for it to come off, but I'm too chicken to pull it off.

So, that was my day today. The gifts are wrapped and I'll head to get them shipped tomorrow. Still have about 13 more gifts to buy, but I've got a little time. :)

Things I Love/ Hate About LA. . .so far

Love:

1) Buying wine and liquor in the grocery store.

2) The weather- 72 and sunny on December 1 and 2.

3) There are literally 6 local restaurants in the block around our apartment, and many many more in a 1-mile radius.

4) Our place looks fabulous, or is getting there.

5) There's a HUGELY wide range of ethnic foods, all out our door. Oh, and a huge range of people behind those ethnicities. (aka Diversity)

6) Our complex is nice, well-lit, great laundry and has a vending machine for those late night peanut M&M cravings. The vegetation around the complex is ridiculously nice and well-maintained.

7) You can get just about anything or do just about anything 24 hours a day.

Hate:

1) There was a crazy man screaming weird things on the sidewalk 50 feet from our window. (the flip side to diversity)

2) Yes, traffic. Fine. We hit a 90 minute fatal traffic accident that closed three lanes on our first morning. However, thanks to Garmin, we were able to cut about 60 minutes off the normal 90 minute back-up.

3) Laker fans. I'm going to be a Clipper fan out of spite. Plus I kinda like Blake Griffin and of course, Eric Gordon ---the former Hoosier, plays on the Clippers.

4) The lack of sports talk radio about something outside the Lakers. Seriously, LA sports fans, NBA basketball is about the worst sports product out there. I already feel a sense of sports knowledge superiority here.

Okay, that's enough for tonight. More the longer we are here, I'm sure.

It's the worst kind of injury . . .or at least my least favorite

If you know me, you know that I have a major phobia of nail injuries. Not just my own, but I can't stand other people's either. When Mila bit through Chef's finger nail last week, I almost vomited in my mouth. I think it goes back to my first lost toenail. I was hit by a pitch in the foot when I played softball in high school. It made my toenail turn smurf blue and then it eventually popped off. I remember being upset and having a hard time wearing shoes.

Well, I think it might happen again. Two days ago I pulled the door over my foot and stubbed my big toe. . .hard. Really hard. I remember cursing for about 5 minutes and then hobbling on my way. It wasn't until I realized that my big toe was still hurting at the end of the day AND that I couldn't wear high heels because it made my toe throb, that I thought it might be something bad. The only thing is that I can't see my nail because it's painted. I'm guessing that I wouldn't want to see it because my toe is now twice its normal size and the nail is very tender. I think it might come off, which frankly has me a little skeeved out. I'm worse with my own nail injuries than anyone else's. I've resigned myself that the name might go. UGH.

On a brighter note, we are only one dresser away from having most of the boxes unpacked. I've got to unpack the office supplies for the desk area, but other than that, it's looking nice. Pictures to come! Of all the things, I'm really looking forward to sleeping with Chef in a king size bed instead of the Full sized we have been relegated to the last few years.

Nearly there. . .

Oh My, IKEA!

It started out as an innocent trip to get a desk chair and dresser. It ended up being a 4 hour ordeal of redecorating to the highest degree. I knew it would probably be a long trip, but didn't know it would take THAT long. I'd never been to an IKEA store before, so I didn't know how it was set up, but it seemed easy enough: check out the showroom, write down what you like, go through the "marketplace" for sheets, towels, non-large furniture, and then to the warehouse area to pick up the furniture. Didn't make it to the cafe, but maybe next time.

So, we had a list of things we needed, and a "game plan" to test things out. I can't say that I didn't feel slightly lucky that I had Chef to do a few things: 1) lift the heavy furniture from the warehouse section, 2) carry the big ass bag to the car and 3) give his opinion on lots of things. Honestly, there comes a point when you look at so many pieces of furniture that they kind of start blending together.

Anyway, we found desks, beds, couches, chairs, duvets, pillows, cabinets, dressers and bookcases we liked. We didn't buy everything we liked, but we did get quite a bit more than a dresser and a desk chair. And the great thing is that it's gonna get delivered tomorrow and we have someone coming to pick up the old furniture. It just makes me wonder if we shouldn't have just ditched the old furniture before we left and traveled with just a trailer. Oh well, it's over now. Pictures to be posted when we get things settled here. We still have a few items to exchange from Target and a few more to purchase. We're getting close to having everything here we really need. Except for food. Still haven't made a trip to the grocery. Mostly because the kitchen is still kind of a mess.

Four hours in IKEA in Burbank and an updated apartment. I'm ready to be settled, really. Not much longer now.

Settling In

I haven't had the chance to write an update lately. It's been a crazy couple of days. Chef and I left Vegas at noon on Sunday thinking it would be a four and half hour trip. It was not. We knew it was going to be rough within the first couple of miles when traffic on I-15 was already backed up only about 5 miles outside of town.

The movers were scheduled to come in at 6 p.m. that night, so surely a 90 minute buffer would be plenty. But clearly it was not or I wouldn't be writing about it. At 6:30 that night, we were still almost two hours away from our new apartment AND Chef isn't supposed to drive at night. He has night blindness, so the prospect of driving into LA at night was not a good one. I had to stop to get gas and there happened to be a Best Western at the exit, so Chef and I decided that was a sign to stop.

The movers were nice enough to come the next morning. There was also a fatal traffic accident on the I-10 right before our exit, so there was a 90 minute delay the next morning getting to the apartment. Luckily, I had a Garmin to help steer us around it so we didn't get delayed the full 90 minutes. In the back of my mind, I heard every single person who told me that LA wasn't all that great because of the traffic (and it's expensive was the second most popular reason to stay away).

Anyway, the movers had it done in about an hour and we were unloading soon enough. Next, we went to Target to get some essentials and then back to the new place. I feel asleep pretty easily that night. One thing that Chef said he was going to have to get used to is the traffic noise. Our apartment is next to a busy street and there is never a time that it isn't busy. It was one of the trade-offs of the great place. The bitch of it was someone honking at 4 a.m. Who honks at 4 a.m.?

Aside from the honking, I have learned a few things: 1) this place would be much better if there were more left turn signals. 2) If you do get stuck turning left at a place with no turn signal, be sure to stick your car in the middle of the intersection and know that at least two cars must be able to turn left after the red light appears. I have a feeling that I will be a more aggressive driver the longer that I'm here.

This morning we woke up and wanted a long, hot shower. No dice. When we called maintenance, we found out that the entire complex had no hot water. Ugh. So, Chef and I unpacked more and made lists of things we needed. We also waited for the cable people to come. It wasn't until a little while ago when Chef configured it, that we had some other form of entertainment than our sparkling personalities. Now we have cable and internet. We have everything.

It was Grand and It was a Canyon

Yesterday was a long ass driving day. It didn't have to be, but Chef got it into his head that it was a 5 hour day (that's short in our terms) and that we could stop for some sightseeing before getting to the Grand Canyon. So we did.

First we stopped at the Petrified National Park in Arizona. It was some of the most beautiful scenery that I've ever seen. Although that seems to be a theme for this trip. It took about an hour to get out and drive and take pictures, but the vast nothingness and then weird peaks made it so worth it. I even made Chef get Genghis out of his carrier to snap a quick picture.

We made it closer to the Grand Canyon when the signs kept popping up for a giant meteor crater and I knew when I saw the first one that we'd be stopping there. Chef is into that kind of thing. So we stopped and gaped at the big ass divot a meteor made. Although to be fair, the meteor museum was really good comparitively. It had a lot of hands on exhibits that I really like because I'm a kid at heart.

By the time we got back on the road and then to our hotel, it was well after dark. The Red Feather Lodge, where we stayed, was kind of a hole, but a hole that was only about a mile from the Grand Canyon and one of the few places that took pets. We deposited the kitties and then made our way to Sophie's Mexican Kitchen a block away for food. I had my first Navajo Taco which is fry bread with beans, cheese, lettuce and I also had some chicken. It was the most delicious "Mexican" food I ever had.

We got up early again this morning and headed to the Grand Canyon. It was a breathtaking site. I didn't realize there were so many lodges in the park itself. It makes me want to go back and do the mule to the bottom and river rafting kind of expedition. Chef and I are already making our plans. Plus we really wanted to go to the Skywalk, but that's about 3 hours from where we were and a lot out of the way on our trek to Vegas.

Anyway, we spent a few hours at the Canyon and then loaded up again to head to Nevada. It was only about 4 hours away, so when we saw the Hoover Dam, we were all on it. We viered off and saw some more sights. By the time we got to Vegas, I knew what my agenda would be: massage (not of the happy ending variety), buffet and gambling.

Chef and I were lucky enough to be able to book a 50 minute couples massage at the Bellagio (thinking of you Anne and Amanda!!)--there was a cancellation as the reservations are usually booked 3 months in advance! We jumped on it and then decided we needed to get cleaned up and geared up at the hotel before hitting the buffet. So now I'm waiting on Chef to get ready and blogging briefly before I get my Kobe Beef on. I wore my jeggings (aka stretchy pants) just for the occasion. Diet starts on Monday.

This is the last stop before the final destination on the journey. Movers come at 6 p.m. tomorrow to help us unload in the new place. I'm going to be kind of sad when it's back to reality. This has truly been the trip of a lifetime!

An Almost Easy trip to Albuquerque

I say almost easy, because 5 hours in the car is never easy. However, with the beautiful scenery and the great, albeit cold, weather, it felt much shorter. Especially after 11 grueling hours in the car yesterday.

Made it to Albuquerque and checked into our hotel. We've got the unloading and loading of cats to a science. Chef and I continue to be impressed by the ability of the cats to travel. Once they're in their carriers, they sit in the car for the duration--no much meowing and no accidents. They get out of the carriers at the hotel, eat, drink and do their bathroom business and then start exploring the new surroundings. All this without the kitty xanax, as they do fine without it and we do better without having to shove pills down their throat.

But I digress. The front desk manager told us that Mimi's Cafe down the street was serving a full Thanksgiving meal, so we hit it up. I had the traditional turkey and accoutrement, but Chef stuck to his usual steak option. The only minor crisis was Chef leaving his debit card in the restaurant and not realizing it until we had gotten halfway back to the hotel. Which caused anxiety and a small nervous breakdown until it was back in our hands.

Anyway, with full bellies, we sit here and prepare for tomorrow's adventure. We've got a hotel booked about a mile from the Grand Canyon Park entrance. I'm so excited! I've never seen the Grand Canyon and am ready to have my breath taken away. Six hours tomorrow to the big hole in the earth!

Amarillo by morning. . . (And our Change of Plans)

We made it to Amarillo last night at about 6 p.m. After 11 hours on the road, we decided that travelling that much in one day is not fun. Originally we had selected a shorter route because we didn't know how much travelling the cats could take. Turns out, they can take a lot and well. No accidents in the car or hotel room. Just get them in their carriers, then show them their food and litter boxes when we get out and they're good to go.

Yesterday's driving experience was pretty boring. The landscape of Oklahoma was not all that exciting. It seems like they even know that. Each exit that featured a town also featured a big blue sign that read "See NAME OF CITY HERE!" and then had 2-3 facts about the town listed below it like "Home of Astronaut Mike Jones" or "Historic Route 66 sites". The really boring cities read things like "Historic Downtown District" or "Indian Arts and Crafts Shops". It was nice that even the more mundane looking towns still got an exclamation point to help spice them up.

The other thing about Oklahoma that really sucked was the wind. Wind is tough in a Sentra, but driving a much taller Penske truck made it a little more difficult. Maybe that was a way to keep me focused, I don't know, but it seemed to work.

Anyway, after all that driving, Chef and I got into Amarillo, dropped the cats off and went out in search of a good steak. I mean, when in Texas, right? We went to a place called Hoffbrau-- I thought it was going to be much nicer than it was. It ended up being kind of like a Logan's. But either way, it was pretty good. It definitely hit the spot after two days of crappy fast food eaten in hard plastic booths as quickly as possible. Plus they had fried green tomatoes that were well done, so that made me happy.

After dinner, we went to Wal-Mart because Chef was out of socks. The others were packed in a box in the Penske so far in the back, that there was no way we were going to dig them out. So, Wal-Mart it was. We got the socks, plus some snacks including a miniature single serve pumpkin pie that I'm saving for today. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

So, after the long day yesterday, Chef and I made a decision over dinner that yesterday wasn't fun enough. We were so pressed to get to our destination, that we didn't get to see any sites or even have a nice meal until we were so worn out after check in. We are changing our plans for the rest of the trip. How many times do we really expect to be driving across country? I know I haven't explored a whole lot west of the Mississippi. So, we are going to delay our arrival into LA until Sunday. Today we're driving 5 hours only and getting into Albuquerque by early afternoon to find a suitable Turkey dinner.

From Albuquerque we are going to the Grand Canyon. Neither of us has seen it and it's only a little off the beaten path, so it's a must see. From the Grand Canyon, it's on to Vegas. I've been to Vegas, but Chef hasn't, so we're going to hit it up. Neither of us really gambles, but Chef is super excited about the possibilities for great restaurants. Since we're booking hotels 24 hours before we hit a destination, we're getting great deals on kitty-friendly places. Besides, we both know that once we hit LA the work begins. We've hired some help to unload the truck at less than $100 for two hours (hell yeah). Then it's get a job!

We're off to Albuquerque (every time i say that I think of my Aunt Mio). Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

Tears, Fears, and Little Rock

I cried a lot today. Packing up the last things in our apartment. And of course leaving Nashville the last time. Chef just mentioned Nashville at lunch and it made me tear up. I have met so many great friends, and Nashville is a town where nothing bad really happened to me. No one died. I never was a victim of a crime. But when it comes down to it, I took the best thing Nashville had with me: Chef.

Today wasn't too bad. The cats were great. Some meows when we would stop, but never for longer than 5 minutes. The penske wasn't too bad to drive. Clocked up to 75 mph. The worst part of the day with the cats was in the hotel. Chef and I spent 20 minutes looking for Mila in the room. She hadn't snuck out (or so we thought) but there wasn't any place else for her to hide. So we went to the front desk to see if they'd seen a cat scurry out of our room. They had not. I just about start crying when I reach under the air conditioner and feel fur. It was a huge sense of relief.

So far little rock sucks. None of the pizza places that were top rated and listed as "delivery" in urban spoon actually delivered. So we opted for Pizza Hut. Which delivered us the wrong order so they had to go back and remake our pizza. The wifi doesn't work so I'm blogging from my phone. But all in all it's been smooth.

Next stop: Amarillo, TX. Going to get some steak but not do the steak challenge. Also we downloaded the roadside America app to hit some quirky spots along the way ( thanks for the tip, Greg). Cadillac ranch, anyone?

A Quick Break from Apartment Hunting

I'm not a good hunter. I don't like guns. Or tracking animals. I feel too much sympathy. In fact, the only thing I'm good at hunting is a bargain. And that's on my home turf.

So I was a little daunted in trying to hunt an apartment in a city that I hadn't spent any significant time in and yet was moving into in a week. So yes. Daunted is definitely a good word for it.

First day, first place and Chef and I are liking it a lot. It's cute, new and has a patio. Only two drawbacks are that it's a little small and on the first floor. The complex was completely secure with a parking spot included, two swimming pools, three huge laundry facilities and a fitness center--also a year's worth of free laundry cards (they don't make you get change, they put $ on the laundry cards and you just swipe your card).

But not knowing if what we were seeing was good or great, we moved along. We saw cute. We saw big. We saw out of our price range. We saw old in a great location. We saw new in a shitty location. The one thing most of these places get right is they update their appliances and bathroom fixtures. That's a standard. They also know exactly which area of the apartment to photograph to maximize its appeal.

My two favorite scenarios were today's. At the first place we went to, we pulled up right outside to a big African-American dude on the front balcony blaring rap music. By blaring, I mean we could rap along to the music in our closed up car. But I felt obligated to look at the place because we had already called a dude and made him meet us there to open it. We go through the place and where is the apartment he's showing us? Right next to blaring rap music at 11 a.m. dude. That's a big HELL no. I don't really want to rent a place where there are lots of people home at 11 a.m. I work hard. I want to be around others that do too. Maybe it's just me.

The other one was old and had updated the lobby and some good space. The "two bedroom" was weird because one bedroom was connected to the other and you had to walk through the first bedroom to get to the second. All of that was fine and dandy, but again it was the little thing that made me (I guess I'm a snob) turn on my heels and leave. We went to the balcony and the neighbor to the left had their entire balcony filled with trash. Broken furniture, empty spray paint cans, broken strollers. All pure crap.

When I told the leasing agent, the place wasn't really for us, she asked me why and sensing that she actually did care what I thought or wanted some truthful feedback, I told her that both of the apartments she had shown us had neighbors who had trash piled up on their balconies that wasn't somewhere I was interested in living.

So, in the end, we've seen about 12 places and it looks like that we'll have an apartment by noon tomorrow. And while the we've sacrificed a nice place for a great location (and the WORST complex) in our Nashville place. It looks like we're going for good location, great complex and some actual amenities for the new place.

It actually wasn't until Chef declared that he absolutely needed some sunglasses asap that I started to feel like LA could be home. Funny how the great American commerce can feel so comforting. We pulled into the place everyone told us they raved about called The Grove. Lots of stores we don't have in Nashville--Nordstrom, American Girl Store, Crate and Barrel, etc. We look around, have fun and have our route encumbered going into Nordstrom by Mario Lopez shooting tonight's "Extra". It started to feel like LA.

Then we went to the discount complex up the street, passed where Heidi's work scenes were shot for "The Hills" and amongst the discount Nordstrom, I felt my Hoosier groundedness come out. I know there are going to be more tears, more tantrums and many more turnarounds with the Garmin, but I think this place is going to work for us.

It's Hard to Believe...the Countdown begins

I spent most of today packing. While I was hoping to pack for our upcoming trip to LA, I knew that packing up the apartment was probably the more logical thing to do. So, I popped open some boxes, threw some football on the TV and then went about tearing up our bedroom and bathroom in the hopes of making some sense of the madness.

It's not the packing of things that gets me. It's the purging of the crap that's been accumulated that I enjoy and hate at the same time. I love getting it out, but I hate the sorting and "where are we going to take that?" moment. Right now I've got about 10 boxes of our stuff packed and 7 boxes of things to have Chef take to Goodwill on Monday. I also made three big trips to the trash. There are times when I am sincerely grateful for the big ass dumpster in our apartment complex parking lot. Those times are NOT when someone dumps a dining room set or mattress in the alley for others to drive around (which happens about every other week), but is when we have massive amounts of crap to unload.

Aside from the purging of crap, I've also realized that we have very few items of real value. I think Chef and I should get married just to be able to replace all of our cutlery and place settings. We're pairing both of those down tomorrow when I start to tackle the kitchen. We merged plates, glasses and cutlery when we moved in together and in our laziness, never really paired them down. Our laziness really was two fold in that 1) we didn't want to take stuff to Goodwill and 2) by having massive amounts of dinnerware, we never ran out and only had to do dishes when the washer was full. Now it's time to choose only the most useful of the plates and cutlery to move on. Also, I've begun to notice that the best glasses Chef and I have are the ones that are designed to hold alcohol in them. Hmmmm. . . .

Tomorrow, it's Colts game, then Kitchen. Only two and a half working days until we'll be boarding a plane to LA to rent an apartment (and check out our new city). Wish us luck that we can find something suitable in four days time. I feel pretty confident that we'll be good to go, but there's always the chance for a hitch in the giddy-up so to speak. We land at about midnight a week from today.

Being that I'm a glutton for punishment, I scheduled our last hoorah for Sunday, November 21st. Anyone who reads this and wants to can come join us for a last drink at Sam's in Hillsboro Village. I'll be setting up shop shortly before the kick off of the 3:15 Colts-Patriots game.

And then we pick up the moving truck on Monday morning. I'm currently scheduling some moving help on Monday morning as well. In my old age, I've learned that $200 or so is not too shabby to save an argument and backache from loading your own van. I haven't scheduled help on the back end yet, but keep your fingers crossed.

So, that's the plan of the move as I can see it now. The apartment is starting to look bare. It's strange how most of the things that surround me are pure crap that I can do without. It's going to totally change my perspective on not just buying stuff to fill space, but surrounding myself with things that I really love. I mean, it's worked well with people, friends and cats, so I'm sure furniture is just the next logical step, right?

Boxes, Boxes, and Kitty Xanax

I've spent the last two days buying, finding and creating boxes. I've learned that Lowe's has an excellent selection of boxes for a reasonable price. The large boxes top out at $1.25 each whereas the Uhaul and other packing places boxes can run up to $4 for a plain large box. That's just crazy talk. I mean, who would pay that much for a BOX??

Okay, so I did end up paying WAY more than $4 for one box, but it's a special box. It's a box for our flatscreen TV. If there's anything in our hours that's actually worth something (other than my jewelry) and needs some special TLC (not of the Left Eye persuasion, but of the loving care kind) it's the TV. Let's be honest. I'm a addicted to TV and its many hours of crappy entertainment and only a few hours of quality scripted programs. So, I spent a pretty penny on a special kit to move the blessed piece of entertainment across country in one piece.

So, the boxes are bought. Some have been created as I've got the bedroom packed (except for the clothes) and the furniture is cleared out. The kitchen is going to take a while, but Chef and I are going to work on that extensively tomorrow and Sunday.

So, it's a matter of clearing out some things over the next few days. I actually feel good about how much stuff we're purging and how little we really need to take with us. Honestly, I have come to the decision to only bring stuff into our place that I really love.

Speaking of things that I really love, the other thing we had to take care of today was getting the drugs for the cats. Four days on the road with cats is no way to spend time if the cats are meowing or freaking out the entire time. So, kitty xanax it is! Our vet gave us the pills today and we're testing them out on Monday. Wish us luck!

It's off to LA on Tuesday to find an apartment. Making some steps each day!

Glee, you're disappointing me

This season of Glee sucks. Remember when Glee was a show where the kids got together to sing against some other force--whether it was themselves or budgets or another Glee club? They sang because they were cast in a commercial or practicing for a contest? Yes, I remember the good old days too.

I'm afraid that Glee is going to become like Desperate Housewives or Grey's Anatomy or some other show that became insanely popular in the first year and then bought into it's own success only to flame out from bad writing. Here are things in this year's Glee that I'm already tired of:

• Kirk's homosexuality ostracizing him. We get it. It was done in Dawson's Creek. And One Tree Hill. And 90210. And every other teen based drama on television in the last 20 years. Add something new to the discussion, please.
• Rachel being an overzealous drama queen. Okay, really it's just all of the characters beginning to be caricatures of themselves. They've all veered a little too far forward from real people they seemed to represent.
• Nothing happening. Think about the story lines this season. Have any of them actually moved forward? Remember last season? Still was happening every episode. Will's wife was paying Quinn for her baby. Will and Emma's sparking romance. An almost wedding. There were lots of things. Not just breaking into song because it's "Boys vs. Girls" week.
• Lastly, I'm tired of Lea Michele. I saw the girl on Conan and have seen her do several interviews. She is talented, but the girl needs to get a grip on reality. Here's what I'd tell her: "You are not fascinating. Not everything you do or that is done relating to you is worthy of adulation or even notice. You have a good voice. You play a part well. You are not the cure to cancer. "

So, that's my Glee rant. Mostly because I keep waiting for this season to have some of the charm and charisma as last season. What really makes me mad is that I want the show to be well written again. I just think the songs are thought up first and then the story line goes in around them. It should be the other way around.

I've Missed Dreaming

I wouldn't recommend that everyone quit their jobs and move to a different city. But I wouldn't NOT recommend it either. Since I had my emotional last day at the American Heart Association, I have enjoyed my friends and family here in Nashville while plotting, planning and preparing for our big move to Los Angeles. In that preparation, I decided it was time to give up something that I love very much: ambien.

I still have about two weeks worth left which I intend on keeping for emergencies, but thought it was time while I was unemployed and my day's work didn't depend on my night's sleep to try and ween myself off of it. The first night was rough. It took me about two hours of lounging in bed to feel drowsy. Then it took me all of two hours to wake back up. It was up and down for the next 6 hours until I had declared it time to give up the fight.

Night two was a different story. Still very much in short spurts, but then longer stretches, as if to give my unconscious self some hope. But one main difference between this night and probably 5 months of nights before: I had a dream. Not the Martin Luther King Jr. kind, but a vivid dance in between my imagination and subconscious. It was glorious. I remembered it. And some day, in some form, I'll share it, but not here.

The next night I slept longer and harder and dreamed more scenes. And slowly the dreams began to take over my thinking during my waking hours. The time I spent thinking about strategy and reports and accounts has in the last week been used to day dream. And I realized how much I missed it. Thinking without purpose or hindrance.

Last week I went with my friend Greg to see an author named Aimee Bender. I was late, but she was wonderful and as she got to the question and answer section, she became even more endearing. If you've been to a Q and A with people who are fans, you know that the questions can become more diatribes on the person's admiration than an actual question (for example, one question to Ms. Bender when boiled down to logic this night was "How do you put words together?". Seriously.) But one of those questions, and I frankly can't remember which one, led to Ms. Bender answering with "Sometimes it's good to be bored. Sometimes those crazy thoughts that we all have as humans are meant to peek through." Or something to that nature. I'm clearly paraphrasing, but the gist of the sentiment has stuck with me this week.

It made me realize something: Whether it was during the day time or night time or any time in between, I've missed dreaming. And I'm happy to be doing it again.

Sometimes its the little things. . .

Today I spent the majority of my day in my pajamas. It's not a bad way to spend the day. However, despite being in pajamas, I was working hard pretty much the whole day. I spent a good 2-3 hours uploading all the pertinent files that I had on my work computer onto my personal laptop. One of the catches is that my personal laptop doesn't have any Windows software on it. No Word. No Power Point. No Excel. None of it.

So I was forced to try out Google Docs. It's not too bad. I was able to reformat my resume, make some changes and pretty much open any of the documents that I had transferred over. It was helpful to be able to rifle through my old files to make sure I'd remembered all of my accomplishments in nine years. Sadly, I had forgotten most and I'm stuck trying to remember what things I was so proud of during my time as the marketing director. Hmmmm. . .

Aside from that, I was also able to open my file of exported contacts. The kicker is that that contacts from my old Outlook account, the contacts in my iPhone and the contacts in my Google account are all slightly different. So I had to go through all the contacts that I wanted to sync into my phone and on Google and make sure the Outlook information matched up. There's no easy way to do this when you're not quite sure which version is the most up to date. So, another 2 and half hours later I finally had my contacts down to a mere 80. Oosh.

But now I'm ready, at least computer-wise, to move on. Now to apply for some additional jobs tomorrow. Oh the little things. . .

Free Chihuly and a Wonderful Day

Today was my second official day of unemployment. Yesterday was my first and it was so packed with a lunch, grocery shopping, license tag renewals, rent paying and phone calls that it was not so much like a day off. Don't get me wrong. I'm not going to sit around lounging until its time to pack up and move to Los Angeles, but I'm also not going spend all my time obsessing so that I can't enjoy the little space in between jobs that I am afforded. I'm only afforded this because of Chef and I saving and living below our means for quite some time and my oblivious confidence that a good work ethic and great experience will land me something that will at least pay the bills in L.A.

So today Chef and I went to Community Day at Cheekwood to check out the Chihuly exhibit. Dale Chihuly is an artist, primarily a glassblower, who does these huge, beautiful installations. Cheekwood is the botanical gardens in Nashville. That should catch up those who have not heard of one or the other or both of those. Oh and Community Day means it was free to get in. We left the house around 10:15, got into the long line of cars to get into Cheekwood at 11:30 and actually walked through the museum gates at 10:55. There were that many people there. Mostly at home mothers and the eldery (it is the middle of the week, after all), but school was out because it is election day and there's nothing more creepy than exposing our children to the myriad of people who actually take part in democracy. That's just too big of a risk for the schools.

So, we got some sandwiches and sat amongst the trees and art in the beautiful weather and chuckled at the idiots who had to work today. Sure, a paycheck is nice, but so is Chihuly with a loved one. We meandered through the exhibit, found every piece and about 2 hours later were firmly planted at Sweet Cece's to get some frozen yogurt with fruity pebbles on top--because I've made Chef a believer of fruity pebbles as a topping.

Now I'm hanging out and blogging while I wait for my boot camp to start at 5 p.m. and then its home for a quick shower and heading to Patterson House for a round of drinks (handcrafted cocktails to be exact) as the perfect cap to this fine day.