Bowls and Bulls

In the spirit of new years, the time of the year when I pretend like there is any kind of resolution I can make to make myself even more fabulous, I have a very exciting announcement. 


In two days, I was able to cross two things off my bucket list. 


1. Go to a Bowl Game.   I was fortunate enough to get my hands on three FREE tickets to the Holiday Bowl that was here at Qualcomm Stadium earlier this week.  Two of my friends dressed in our Texas Orange.. okay.. it was more like hunter/construction worker orange, here are some shots of the game!!

2. Ride a mechanical bull!! Its true!! I went on down to The Double Deuce and took a ride!  

Sorry about It.

So it's been a little while. Now that grandma has moved down to this region of the country- Its been easier to keep her up on the day-to-day, which was the whole point of the blog to begin with.. Let the family know what going on..  but after many complaints from my fans, I've been pushed on to write another entry.. This must be what my homegirl J.K Rowling feels like being pressured into another Harry Potter.  Something of the sort anyways. So, as always, I thought to myself- "self, you must write another entry for you avid readers".. Well here it is.


I took a couple days off so I could get a 3 day trip into to visit my grandparents in Desert Hot Springs.  Let me paint a picture of what this place looks like.  Imagine (in the middle of the desert) a fancy trailer park.. but instead of a sofa parked in the front yard- its a golf cart.  My grandpa calls is a "self administered nursing home" and it also sounds like "God's Waiting Room" is a popular name.  


I've been sitting around for a while, listening to stories of the trailer park gossip, by those who wish to remain nameless, but have given me permission to share my tale. Almost at the same time- my aunt and I come up with the idea that will make us millions.  Now I know everyone is just as obsessed as me with the Real Housewives of Freaking Anywhere, and so grew the idea of the Real Housewives of Alamar Acres (the name of said community).  It would be like watching seven of that English saucepot, Lisa Vanderpumps from the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills all in one show.  It was at this moment I decided I needed to pour myself a drink(s) and begin this blog entry. It's all about my new perspective on life. 


Here I was thinking now that I was a college graduate, my life was going to go downhill until I was eventually 6ft under.  Don't get me wrong, I still use my student discount at the movie theater in hopes that it will dollar by dollar pay back my tuition.. but post graduate life is a serious downgrade. 
Gone are the days of getting a pizza on Wednesday,  leaving it on the counter- and having it for breakfast on Friday.  No longer can I wear the same pair of sweatpants for an entire week, confidently blaming my drop in personal hygiene on finals week.  


But in nothing less then a Christmas miracle, I have seen the light. I now know that there is a better time in life, and this time is called retirement.  Sure, I've got a ways to go.. and sure, I need to start working to retire.. but just knowing that I will one day wear pajamas all day without judgement, and go to bed at 7pm without being accused of being lame brings hope to a college grads life, who knows thats it's a lot of hard work to feed here at the bottom. 


But speaking of going to bed early, I must do just that.  The trailer park ladies and myself have a big day of shopping ahead of us tomorrow.. starting at 5am. 


xo-
Katie. 

kicking water and throwing sand

These past couple days I had the joy of experiencing two very different and rare phenomenon.. The first being "glowing tide" and the second being a Padres victory.  I will begin with the former. 


Now, I recommend you google this, because its actually pretty cool- but every now and then something happens with plankton.. or kelp.. or something.. and the water turns red and smells gross.. and its really kinda gross.. but then when night comes, whenever there is a disruption in the water, it glows like a glow stick!!! so when waves and the tide comes in.. and its usually all white and foamy- it glows a really bright green color.  I seriously can't get over it.  I checked it out with some friends on Monday, and then again on Tuesday.  When there is enough of whatever makes it glow when water comes in, the footprints you left in the sand would have glowy water left in it.. and you could kick the water, and it would splash glowy-ness, or kick the sand- and it would glow.. way cool, pretty magical. 


The second rare phenomenon was a Padres victory! yay! My friend and I were able to make it to the last game of the season, where we pulled off a win against the Cubs, also very fun.. it got a little chilly, so it was a good thing I packed my WSU snuggie.  go cougs!

the time I accidentally drove to mexico

 A few weeks ago I had to go to Ontario for work.  It took about 3 minutes to figure that "Ontario, CA" was about two hours North, and thats where I was actually going.. the 3 minutes prior I thought I was going to Canada.  I have also learned that as far as Southern California is concerned, Canada doesn't exist. 


So I type the address into my handy little GPS and start on my way.  


I have learned that California will tax you on anything it possibly can.  .05 cent state tax on candy, soda, and other various unhealthy goodies... $12.50 tax on an already $40 parking ticket... and now, my new enemy, toll roads. 


So Im traveling along this road, and I come to a stop, like I was crossing some sort of border and read the overhead sign.  $3 toll. 


three dollar toll... wait. what?  What is this.. the three billy goats gruff? So I fish out my debit card. 


"Cash only". the attractive man unattractive woman tells me. 
My least favorite words. This girl does't carry cash because I don't plan on traveling to 1997 anytime soon..   "yah, sorry.. I only have a card.. can I pay online or something"  I figured if you can pay your parking tickets online, maybe you can do this too..  She let me go with a warning. phew. crisis averted. 


So I keep traveling along, get off the exit and on to a new highway.. and I see another toll sign. Awesome. This one was .50 cents.  Okay, maybe I can scrounge up half a dollar to pay the toll.. 


No, I actually didn't have .50 cents.  I searched my car, purse, cup holders, console, everything for .50 cents.  I found about .07 cents, almost .50 cents in CANADIAN money (had I been going to Ontario, Canada, I would be getting somewhere), and obviously- a $5 circus circus poker chip from Vegas. 


My turn was up.. an even more attractive man  less attractive woman than the one previoulsy encountered stuck out her hand ".50 cents please".. I told her I had about .50 cents Canadian, .07 cents US and a $5 Circus Circus chip.  Kill me, Ive already had my toll warning.. what is going to happen? 
Maybe they would make me work as a toll money taker.. maybe in a year after slaving for the California toll master, I would too look like one of these really attractive men very unfortunate looking women. 


She gave me a card to pay online.. I knew that had to have been an option. 
(FYI, there is a $5 minimum to pay online..) I wonder if I get a toll credit. 


On my way home, I had to find a way to go around these toll roads.. In hindsight (which we all know is always 20/20) I guess I could have went to an ATM.. but I found my way around these toll roads. 


Long story short, I got lost and ended up at the Mexico border. 


Moral of the story, carry the currency of your own country with you just in case. 

tandem bike riding- two much fun

YAY !!! I had another visitor!!! 

Jordan MacPherson, a friend from college came to visit me for a quick overnight trip! 

I was very blessed with her visit because it allowed me to scratch some more things of my San Diego "to do" list!

First things first we rented a tandem bicycle so that we could transport ourselves from beach to beach and place to place, shopping, lunch, ect without having to worry about parking the car, driving- blah blah blah.. 

Luckily, our tandem bike was crimson and grey... (well.. more like rust and unfinished metal... but as recent WSU grads, we called it crimson and grey) .. so we quickly referred to it as the Couagrmobile. 

Im not even going to start on what a disaster the first 15 minutes of riding the bike was.. I was the driver- so let your mind go to the worst case scenario, its probably accurate. Our first trip was from Pacific Beach to Mission Beach, so we could go to Belmont Park. 

Once we went to Belmont Park, a little amusement park in Mission Beach so we could ride The Giant Dipper- a cute little oceanfront roller coster built in the 1920s.  We got our ticket for the one ride and scored the back seats. They only had lap bars, so our arms were free to take pictures of the great views we were about to see! Or so we thought..

Allow me to paint a picture of what really happened. 

We started the slow raise to the top of the first hill, the clanking of the chains pulling us up reminded me of the wooden roller coasters at a themepark near my home town called Silverwood.  We're snapping pictures on the way of up the bridge and of each other, ready for our cute little ride.  We start down the first hill, and Jordan and I are screaming like we are at Six Flags. I mean really screaming.  The little 10 year old kid in front of us kept turning around and giving us dirty looks...  Literally terrifying. Super Rude. 

The first take off (not smooth.. the basket fell off)

Proudly parking the limo

A basket to hold all our goodies (cotton candy)

this is me pretending the roller coaster was fun

tandem biking on the beach!

Jordan taking pictures before we knew it was going to get scary

la jolla

Happy 4th of July!!  Im afraid it has kind of lost it's luster for me here... Seeing as Sea World has fire works every night  just down the water from my house... and the holiday traffic this weekend has been impossible where I live..PB sounds like WSU greek row (on a monday) every night this weekend.. not a good time to live by the beach :-)


I am growing pretty fond of La Jolla, the town I work in, and I am pretty sure it is because of the sea lions.  On memorial day, I walked around the beach where they hang out, literally feet away from people swimming.. it was pretty fun.  At the same time, I was thinking, you couldn't pay me enough money to swim in that nasty sea lion polluted water... 

So of course, two days ago, I took a little dip in the nasty sea lion polluted water, and like everyone else, I survived.  I also wore a wet suit (picture the episode of friends where Ross wears the leather pants- thats me with this wet suit) and had a go at snorkeling.. which pretty much consisted of me kinda swimming around, more concerned about just staying alive than looking at fish and other water things.  Of course there was absolutely nothing harmful about the events- I was just kinda freaked. 

We snorkeled into some caves which was really neat (really really neat).. and we could climb around the rocks and stuff.. well as much climbing as I could do with flippers.. so I sort of scooted/crab walked up.. it happens.  Our flippers were hurting our feet, so instead of swimming back, we hopped out at some rocks and walked back. 

It was at this moment that I realized I am not outdoorsey, or daring, at all.  The people I was with, my friend and his sister- were like Simba and Nala prancing along these rocks to get out. 

Picture a potato scaling some rocks. That was me. 

Just like on the paddle boarding day, when I was done I had this feeling of "aw I don't want to leave" and then I remember I'm not on vacation.. and living here is amazing. 

day off #2

I have the entire day off today- so it's pretty exciting, its the first one since Memorial Day!! This morning I went paddle boarding (google image it... I had to also) which was amazing.  I didn't fall in the water- really surprising.. but I had the beginner board, which is like the training wheels bike, so I imagine tipping it would have been pretty impressive.   My favorite part was when we paddled by dolphins!!!!  Im still in awe.. they were so cute, diving around each other, probably 20 feet from our boards!!!  It might have been one of the coolest things  I have ever seen. Whenever anybody comes and visits me (hint hint, someone please come play down here with me) Paddle boarding is an absolute must.  Too much fun.  Maybe if I go again I wont accidentally spin around in circles trying to back up.. and exceed .000025 mph.  


Also, another cool development I have discovered, is that they are filming the Real World down here, a few houses down from where I was house sitting in La Jolla.. which in hindsight, explains all the cameras. duh.  But we saw them out on a big yacht type boat today... they waved, I waved.. and then continued to spin around in circles on my board.. Im really crossing my fingers for a cameo.  Wish me luck (sike).  But I guess they are always out at the bars around PB, the area I live in... so maybe another day :-).  


I also learned today that Torrey Pines just isn't a golf course. News to me. And went hiking there today... there were lots of Torrey Pine trees. also news to me.  But it was right by the ocean, and pretty cool.  I think my cardio work outs might be paying off because the the thought that I might die only crossed my mind twice, and one was because I saw a sign to look out for rattle snakes. yikes!!!  Anyways, after the little hike trail, there are really cool stairs (that took me no less than 45 minutes to walk down) the pop right out at the beach!! the following pictures are of that part of my outdoorsey adventure day.  I think I need a nap. 

the cool little stair case to the beach, you can see the water in the background!

I think tomorrow after work I'm doing a little evening snorkel in the caves around La Jolla... Things you can't do in Eastern Washington.


xoxo
Katie. 

as you could have guessed

for those avid readers (yes, all 3 of you) who read my last entry.. you probably could have predicted the following statement.  Kickboxing, along with growing a beard and underwater breathing... is not up my alley.  Between my absolute lack of hand-eye coordination, and fear that the punching bag was going to punch me back.. I think its safe to say that today was my first and last.. of that. 


With all my grueling workouts (hardly) I noticed that my shoes were really starting to hurt my feet when I was running.. So I decided I needed new kicks!!  I went to fashion valley mall- wearing my old shoes, and indeed they were about a size too small.. not surprising seeing as I think I got them in 2007..  I walked into Lady Footlocker, and was greeted by a girl my age wearing her footlocker/ref jersey with leggings, fake eyelashes, and at least 45 bumpits in her hair.  at least.  Perfect. 
"hi... Im looking for shoes that I can wear at the gym, and running outside" 
she snapped her gum, blew a bubble. "over here" I followed her to the wall of shoes.. a real magellan she was.. how would I ever have found the wall of shoes without her assistance. 
"these ones are really popular.. they're green.. they come in orange, but I dont think they are as cute" super, shes an artist too. 
"yah, I can see that"  I pretty much have my bachelors degree in colors lady.. tell me something I dont know. 
She spent about another 45 minutes telling me all the colors of shoes.. She did pretty good.. until she called a salmon pink "coral" but.. you win some you lose some. 


I went to Nike and picked out these beauties, they're pink. and charcoal. 

I've also started running along the bay by my house.. My trainer suggested going down to the beach and running in the damp sand because it wont kill your shins and its good resistance for your muscles.. and that setting a timer on my phone for 12 minutes and sprinting as fast as I can for 30-45 seconds, and then walk for the same amount of time.. apparently this is as good of a work out as "jogging around" and medium pace for an hour. Sounds good to me.  So I did this with my new shoes.. 


Thats a lie. I sprinted for 10 minutes.. and looked for seashells for the other two.
fine.. I sprinted for about 8.. looked for seashells for two and played with a puppy whose owner was super cute for 2.  Tomorrow I'll be better. The area is really neat!! There is a place where the sail boats can dock.. so there is always a bunch of sail boats in the water too.. It looks like lots of fun!!

read this if you're bored.

I finally got all settled in... unpacked (aka hung up my clothes in a closet) and got shelving, drawers and such for my room... All I need is some stuff to cover the walls.. and I think I will be good to go!


Of course, as soon as that was done, it was time for my house/dog sitting adventure to begin.  For two weeks I'm staying at Jennifer's house in La Jolla- the Bird Rock neighborhood.. its right by the beach and her house is beautiful! She has two very friendly- but always excited dogs.. I only remember the name of one of them- Rodeo- so when Im communicating with them- they are both referred to as Rodeo... a group name... You win some you lose some I guess.


I also got a gym membership- and even a personal trainer- so I'm committed to going at least once a week (but I've been going much more.. because I have nothing else to do) Im pretty sure my personal trainer hates me.. he laughed at me when I told him I was 95% sure I was having a heart attack. Rude. Next week were having a kickboxing session.. Do I need a mouth guard? Maybe I'll bring one just in case. 


All in all, everything is going great :)
Until next time. 


Katie

calling all visitors!

All moved into the house in Pacific Beach where I will be living until at least October, if I like it (and I think I will) I might resign the lease when the existing one is up if we find one more roommate, because one of the girls is moving to San Francisco. I've snapped some pics so you can check out my new digs- and the view 2 blocks from my house at the end of the street! 

the little things

After my first "real" week down here, I have noticed that I find the biggest change in the little things... 


When I wake up in the morning, I watch/listen to the local news, I think I'm finally used to the "surf report" but I don't think I'll get used to what weather I need to pay attention to on what I call the weather grid.  Because of the location, the San Diego weather (on this particular station) is presented in a grid.  the normal "high, low, precip, humidity, ect" is across the top like normal, but there is four of them stacked on each other presenting the "coastal, inland, mountain, desert" So I have to be quick to listen and read, otherwise ill be prepared for the 95 degree desert weather, when really, I needed to be listening for the 65 degree costal weather. 
drama.


Im ALMOST able to drive to and from work without using my GPS. but its definitely limited TO and FROM work, and only when I'm starting and ending at Pats house (see the cast of characters).  and even though I drive the same 2 routes everyday, I cant get over the names of the exits I take.. "Sea World Blvd." is probably my favorite, and even though I take the "Los Angeles" exit going home from work- I would rather take the one that leads you to the beach.. called "Beaches"- it never fails to amuse me. 


I've kept nice and busy- not really by choice, but I'm very very very glad to be working. Since I got back last week (Monday) I've worked every day between the two jobs.  I scored next monday (memorial day) off, and am going to a pool party with Zach and Alex (see the c.o.c) really excited! it will make the 13 days of no days off worth it! 


I'm OBSESSED with the big project happening at Maudlin right now, its a farm to plate eatery opening in Del Mar this summer- were doing all the fixtures for it.. heres the web site so you can check what its all about (  www.urbanplates.com  )


I move into the townhouse in Pacific Beach with two roommates who already live there on the 1st, so I'm anxiously looking forward to that.. but will miss Pats delicious baking!! I can smell homemade banana bread in the oven now.. yummmmm!  The lease for that place is up in October, in that time I will either not want to leave its awesome awesome awesome location (I could't afford to live in the area without a roommate- or two. not to mention its an AWESOME place, everything is new new new) and find two roommates to fill the other spots- OR (and most likely) I'll find a new place to move into on my own. 


hopefully more exciting things will happen so I have more to update you on!! 


xoxo

Cast of Characters (ever changing)

Whos who in my new life!!!


Pat- pat is the woman who make it all happen.  I met her for a few hours when I was down here 
        in February, and the next thing I know she found me a job, a home, and pretty much my 
         life as it is. 
Jennifer-  Jennifer is my new boss at Maudlin. She's pretty much a boss at life and I'm so 
          excited to soak up all her knowledge and sass. 
Zach- Zach is my friend from.. like.. 4th grade who lives down here.  I went with him to the 
         party that I met Pat at.. Love him :) 
Alex- Alex is Zachs super fox fiancee. love him too :)
Andria- Andria is super amazing as well!! it was at her birthday party that I went to with Zach, 
        in which I met Pat, to get a job working for Jennifer. 
Daniel- Daniel is Pats son who went to WSU for two years, which got me talking to Pat.  He's 
        kind enough to let me tag along with him to evening outings, and mooch on fun with his 
       friends. 


Okay- so I guess my cast is pretty small.. but there will be more to come soon!

turn around

I was here just long enough to grasp- and then this afternoon I leave for Washington to watch my brother graduate! 


The drive down was great, the car worked perfect and one of my oldest friends drove down with me.. We thought it would be fun to stay the night in Reno- we were wrong. Reno is probably one of the most sad, empty has been towns on the planet. 


When we got here on Sunday afternoon, Zach (the friend that drove down with me) and I wandered around the downtown/gaslamp area.. one of my favs- and over to Cornado.  We had dinner downtown and stayed with my friend (other Zach) who lives down here. On Monday I dropped Zach off at the airport, and explored around the Hillcrest area, where other Zach lives.. the neighborhood is really nice and is one of the areas I'm looking at for my new place!


That night I helped at at inventory to meet my boss, and my new Pier 1 team! everything went really well there and I'm excited to get going!! Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday I got started with my new Maudlin job and I really feel like it couldn't be more perfect!  I love the atmosphere, and my boss is amazing, I can tell already that I'm going to learn so much from her and the business, I truly am blessed!


Im couch surfing/house sitting through the end of the month, and am moving into a town house in Pacific Beach. A girl that Pat (the woman who recommended me for the job) knows has a roommate leaving, so I'm going to take the third room in their super cute place until their lease is up in October!  They are both really nice, and the location is really awesome, its in Crown Pointe- a place I probably couldnt afford without having two other roommates- so I'm looking forward to living in the glory lands- even if only for a few months. In the meantime, I will look at every apartment for rent so I have the perfect place once October comes!


... After writing this- I think I need a cast of characters entry.  Jennifer (my new boss) made me a cast of characters list so I can catch on to who is who.. it helped greatly. 


So my next entry will be a cast of characters, that will be ever changing as needed. 
this could get interesting. 

the end of the beginning.

It's my last night in Spokane before I head down South 

The past week has been extremely emotional, as it's been full of "lasts"

On Sunday, I went down to Pullman for senior halls at my sorority, the "closing ceremony" for our pledge class with our chapter.  I've had to say goodbye to the house before, two years ago when I left Pullman for Spokane.. it definitely wasn't any easier the second time around. 

Tuesday was our last day of class, and final presentations.. something weird to wrap my mind around.. that I was "done".  Following the presentations, most of the people from our program met up at the closet bar to campus and.. well.. celebrated all of our hard work. 

Wednesday, my close group of friend got together and clowned around campus taking pictures in our graduation gowns. Im really glad I now have such great pictures with these ladies.. they truly made the survival and completion of school possible. 

Tonight was our program "senior banquet" at the Davenport.  Everybody got dressed up and.. well.. talked for the most part.  Most everyone had their parents there, or siblings.. boyfriends.. and it was a really fun time for "everyone else" to see the relationships we have made the past four years- and vice-versa.   I won a goofy award, voted on by the senior class, "most likely to lose work three days before its due".. fitting really. 

Tomorrow is the big day.. graduation is at 2pm, and then I'm having dinner with my family, and leaving to my parents house that night.  Saturday am Im starting the trip down to San Diego.. I cant believe its already here!  I suppose I should tape up the rest of my boxes- before I have to stay another day. . 

xoxo-

Katie 

listing

its getting closer!!! not counting moving day, its down to single digits! only 9 days till I leave spokane and head on down to San Diego!!


My most recent feeling about leaving has been nostalgia.
I said my first really rough goodbye (unless he can make it up to spokane for my going away shindig) to one of my longest running friends, when I visited Pullman (also probably for the last time).  I've been concentrating so much on all the good and how excited I am, that I have been ignoring all the people I'm going to miss like crazy.


Also, today was my first really day of packing.  the walls in my apartment are bare now, and there are boxes scattered around.  Its hard to tell if I'm coming or going.  I cried a little packing up all my frames and pictures.. taping them shut in a cardboard box knowing I wont see them until I get settled into a place at the end of the summer and my parents bring everything down.  I also know it will probably be twice as hard to reopen the box and see all my friends smiling faces- hard copies of my favorite memories.


I was grabbing some dinner to go at a market by my work when I ran into my friend/favorite barista.. He's also moving, and we talked about getting ready to leave Spokane and he said something that has stuck in my mind all day.. "its a good thing you're leaving before you hate it, otherwise you'd never come back"


this is true.  I'm not leaving spokane because I hate it, I'm actually more fond of it than most people..
I just cant be here right now.. at this point in my life, and might morph into a pile of dust if I had to keep living my life as it is right now, for another day. If I didn't get a job in San Diego, I would have found another reason to move somewhere else. to keep my spirits high about visiting and coming back, I decided to have a list of why I like "home" (spokane, LCV) that I can refer to, need be, at a later date.


1. people. My parents live here, so I obvs have to come visit them
2. I love the Asotin County Fair.. actually I hate the fair.. but I love to hate it.. so many high school memories involve the fair.
3. Pullman/AXO my beautiful sorority and beautiful sisters.. well.. my sisters are leaving Pullman too.. but.. still. litb
4. my Pier1 family!  the most amazing women ever :)
5. Fazzaris Pizza.  if you know- you know.


Also, I'm worried I'll get down there and ask myself.. why did I move down here.. every time something goes wrong. (I predict this to be a longer list)


1. No matter where I am, I am within 5 miles of a Baja Fresh, and Baja Fresh has an unlimited supply if my favorite food: pico de gallo.  They call it a "condiment bar" I call it an all you can eat pico buffet.
2. job. duh
3. sunshine. No more monthly tanning bill!!!
4. Im one step closer to starting a beachfront waffle house in San Diego called the "sandy eggo" GET IT?!?
5. I watch pandacam on the San Diego Zoo website (pretty much watching pandas hang out on live camera) all the time, and now I can just go to the zoo and watch panda cam HD.. #winning!
6. I can FINALLY go see the grand canyon!! Every time my family goes to Vegas, I try to talk someone into taking a day trip and seeing it.. now my dream can be a reality!
7. Its easier to bribe people to visit you when you live in a desirable location. sun, surf, the zoo and close proximity to disneyland and LA.. much more fun than doing.. well.. nothing in Spokane.


all logical reasons.. and of course many more. thats just what I came up with off the top of my head.


putting things in perspective.

Houston, we have a problem

I jinxed myself, the first flaw in this master plan of life has emerged. 

the student housing situation has fell through as she has decided to stay in the San Diego area for the summer and is no longer sub leasing her apartment! AH!  

The good thing is I know two months "ahead of time" so I'm not further 'behind' than I was.. and I'm not really that behind.. at all. And if I want to still do that, there are 100s of students looking to sublease for the summer. So again- not too worried. 

The good news is, the woman who started this whole San Diego moving adventure knows a guy who is renting out a room in his downtown apartment.  Also, price wise- its on the bottom end of what I was hoping to pay (very very bottom end.. meaning, it was probably the lowest I thought I would find)  BUT he wants it leased out by May 1.. I wont even be down there "permanently" until May 16th- and I wasn't hoping to have to start paying rent until mid June.. But the price is definitely right and the location is one I probably would't have been able to afford on my own.. so I might have to bite the bullet (or whatever they say) and just take this "ideal" apartment now.  I'll get an e-mail tomorrow morning with all the details- I'll see if its too good to be true!

In equally as not exciting news- Im beginning to part with furniture in my apartment that I swore I would be taking down with me.. I need the money and less crap. sooo I'll be starting over in that area.. but if im moving in with someone, it sounds like I wont need anything anyways. So maybe it will work out.. 

I'll find out tomorrow when I get more details from that email!

Crisis averted? 

come together, right now

What recession?!  Today I found out that my transfer is official and I will continue to work at Pier 1, keeping my same position in management which was really exciting!  I assumed I would go in as just work a few hours a week as an associate, but they randomly needed a new sales manager the week I move down.. so this is very great news for me, my wallet and my future rent collector!! I get to stick with Pier 1, and the extra job will help a lot financially. 


Also, I feel very homeless in life.  I haven't really lived at home with my parents since I graduated high school, and have been floating all around between the Pullman and Spokane WSU campuses over the past four years.. I don't really consider myself "from" anywhere anymore- I have a house, but I don't really have a home.  Pier 1 has been a consistent thing in my life since moving to Spokane, so I'm really happy I will have something I "know" upon my arrival in San Diego. The women that I work with are such a big part of my life here- I really do count them as a part of my family as far as living in Spokane goes.  


When I get to San Diego, I will be staying with friends, as well as house sitting into late June- so I have a month of rent I don't really have to worry about, and a month of time to find a great place.  I've been looking at places I would be interested in living- but I don't quite qualify to even apply, which has been making me very anxious.  Most (legit) places require a few months of local employment history, which I simply wouldn't have.  Also, I don't know exactly what my pay checks are looking like ect.. and I dont want to be rushed into moving into the first cheap apartment that will let me move in on craigslist, I want a great place. A place that I can consider my first real home.  After the last 4 years, and especially the first 2 months of SD living, I'm really exausted from temporary living and temporary plans..  I know its not going to be the biggest place, or the nicest place, but it will be my own place that I worked for.. and I think that will mean more than anything.  


Today I added one more temporary housing place on my list.  
Tons of UCSD and SDSU students are trying to sublease their apartments/rooms for their summer vacation.  I decided to take up one of these rooms for many reasons.  
1. The rent will be a little bit cheaper, for a little bit longer
2. Its 3 more months I have to establish employment history/figure out just how much money I'll be taking in each month
3. I can research in what part of the San Diego/La Jolla area I want to live
4. I can make friends my age!!! 


I'll be sharing an apartment until mid/end of August with (I think) 3 other girls (maybe only 2), who I believe are all finishing up their junior year , so they are just a year below me! After an appropriate amount of facebook stalking, the girl whose room I'm moving into and I decided we would all get along great and I'm REALLY excited! I think my stress levels went down from 5 mental breakdowns a day to probably just one.  


Of course all this business of things going my way just leaves me waiting for something to go wrong.  Im crossing my fingers it wont! 

my life is a country song

"What are you doing after you graduate"


Two weeks ago I would probably have a more accurate guess on how to cure cancer than answer this question. 


"I'm moving to San Diego, I got a job" 


I can now reply. I've been letting it sink in for a week now and it still sounds weird. 


"oh really? thats so exciting! are you excited"


yeah, so excited to empty my savings account into something I hope works out. I need 5 jobs. 


"yeah! I cant wait! the weather there is perfect all year"


I truly am forever grateful for a fantastic opportunity that somehow fell into my lap.. 
(incase my family is reading this and is worried, I don't really need 5 jobs.. maybe only 3)


Whenever someone asked what I was going to do when I finished college, I always said.. Oh, I'm not sure.. walk off the graduation stage, get in my bug packed with all my clothes and drive to the east coast...?   If I would have known I was going to be half right, I would have saved a little lot more money and bought a little lot less clothes over the course of four years. 


I wasn't dead on, but I was damn close. 


I accepted a potentially great job offer 1,186 miles away from the 2 square mile "cow town" I grew up in.. the type of town you picture when you hear a country song with county fairs, gravel roads, and floating down the river on an air mattress with a case of beer your stole from your parents. A fun fact: it also has highest zip code in the contiguous US; 99403. I loved growing up there- but its easy to shine in such a small town, and I learned from my own, and others mistakes that the world doesn't care who you were in high school.. I have yet to decide if this is a good or bad thing.


After 4 years of college, Im more than ready to graduate, meaning I cant wait to not study for another test, or write another paper.. but I'm less than ready to live "on my own" meaning I killed a quesadilla and set off the smoke detectors in my apartment last week.  Live and learn, right?
But life happens weather you're ready or not, and all my signs were screaming to take the opportunity so many miles away.. and its not like I have a file folder full of job offers and I can scratch my chin thinking which one I should take.  Im more than aware- if you get a job, take it.. because that one offer is probably it. Besides- by choosing to move to San Diego alone saved me a future $70,000 in loans I would have taken out to go to grad school in New Orleans.. Additionally, I heard the weather isn't as nice there... So really- I'm saving money. (and will keep telling myself this until further notice)


Long story short; small town girl packs her closet in her vw beetle and drives to southern california the day after graduation to live the life she has only experienced in her wildest dreams. My life is a country song.


Fast forward 8 months to when said girl runs out of money, drives home, car breaks down- catches a greyhound bus, and shows up on her parents door step with nothing  but broken dreams and a killer tan. 


Wish me luck!