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And here you have it, folks! The *Official* first photos of the quasi-decorated apartment! [Insert Kermit the Frog style "yaaaaay" here!]
This past weekend I moved into my very own apartment! As Carla would say, “Nobody lives there but me!” and so far, so good.
But let’s take a look at some pictures to better illustrate Silena and Chelsea’s great road trip and moving in experience.
Meet you after the jump!
The last few legs of our road trip saw much less internet connection time than I had anticipated, so I apologize for the complete lack of updates… but what you need to know now is that I’m in my new apartment and will update you with stories and photos soon!!!
So far, so good. A little bit of a “funny” smell, but that’s soon to be fixed by an absurd amount of scented candles and Febreze up the wazoo.
Florence is pretty good so far, I don’t think the reality of it all has sunk in yet, so I’m still waiting for that.
Stay tuned for tonight’s Sea Foods: Cooking For One In The New Apartment Edition!!!!
Come visit!
(Please excuse the short and error-filled nature of this post. I don’t think I’ve ever been more sleepy in all my life)
Well, Silena and I made it safe and sound to Katrine’s in Davis. After cramming the car closed, teary goodbyes and errands galore, we finally got into the 4th of July traffic at around 3 and made it to Katrine’s house by 9:30. We just got home from dinner at The Pita Pit, which was freakin’ delicious, and then off to 31 Flavors for $1 scoop night. Yep, life is good here in Davis.
So yes, safe and sound and not much to report except that the 5 smells like absolute death. Disgusting.
Katrine put together a lovely road trip basket that has snacks and a SCAVENGER HUNT that we must complete, so that game shall begin tomorrow. I also think we’re going to start looking for license plates from each state. Oh, the joys of the road!!!
Next stop: Salt Lake City!!!
Well, I’ve been more than tied up since our last post. Upon returning from Guatemala I, got a car (The Mother Falcon. Photos coming soon. And photos from Guatemala, GOSH! I suck!), discovered that I have way too much crap and have been attempting to to pack said crap into the Falcon for a noonish departure time today. So far, not so good, but I did want to take the chance to make sure that I gave you all a brief update.
Last night a group of friends went to White Harte in Woodland Hills for some goodbye laughs, Guinness and Memory Lane strolls. I had an absolutely wonderful time with everyone, severely hurt this morning from laughing so hard, and I realize that I must be one of the luckiest girls in the world to have such incredible people in my life that I am lucky to call my friends. A group of us decided that we’re not quite ready to say our goodbyes yet, so lunch today on our way out is the plan. And as long as I get one more chance to cry tears of laughter into my food from watching George eat, I am so, so, so happy.
I am not at all looking forward to saying goodbye to my family. Just thinking about it now is giving me aches in my heart. They’re the most important people in the whole entire world to me and it’s going to be so incredibly hard not being able to see them whenever I’d like. I can’t imagine not talking Office or Grey’s Anatomy with Emily, or hurting from laughter thanks to the tag team of comedy that is Iain and Clayton. I’m going to miss Emily and Clayton’s track meets and beaming with pride when they finish a race, or read a story Emily wrote for the Courier on the day she brings home a copy and mom brings home fifteen to mail to relatives. I’ll really miss having to ask Clayton for my guitar back all the time, but knowing that it’s good when he steals it because he is a far better musician than I will ever be, and Lillian deserves to be played by someone like that every once in a while. I’ll miss Iain just popping in my room just to say “hi” but always having some crazy brilliantly crafted story about one of his friends that will put me in stitches. You will never meet better people than my brothers and sister. My parents raised them to be the kind, funny and intelligent people that I am madly in love with every day of the year. I got to be a big sister three times in my life and have tried my absolute best to be the role model and the friend they’re all more than worthy of having, one can only hope I’ve served them well.
Emily and Clayton are going into Senior year of high school, a fact that totally blows my mind, and the experiences they’re going to have and the amazing things they’re going to conquer makes me so incredibly happy and proud to be their sister. In the Fall, Iain starts at Ohio State and will be only an hour North of me, which will be the best present ever. He’s my bad ass of a baby brother and OSU isn’t going to know what hit it. These are the three most important people in the world to me. No way around it. I can’t possibly say it another way.
And I’ll miss talking music or current events with Dad and meeting up almost every night of the week to watch The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, knowing that we’re both going to start laughing at all the exact same parts. I’ll miss standing around the kitchen with Mom talking about what we’d heard on NPR or saw on Countdown, or going on errands and just talking with my very best friend. I know that they’re only a phonecall away, but there’s something to be said for being blessed with the most amazing family I could ever even dream of having and not being able to see them every single day, or know that no matter what has got me down, that smiles and all around feel-goodery is living right down the hall.
Now that I am officially water working, let’s get down to the facts:
Miss Silena and I are leaving today after lunch with friends for our journey East that will begin by heading North and spending the night in Davis with the wonderful and lovely Katrine and leaving there early tomorrow morning and hopefully making Salt Lake City. I promise you, as much as one can promise, that I will find ways to update you from the road. Possibly with pictures but most definitely with stories.
And on that note, I need to finish packing my clothes and getting off to breakfast at IHOP with Gabby.
To quote one of my personal heroes, Steve Zissou, “This is an adventure.”
To be continued.
(Have you ever heard the song “Living Without You” by Harry Nilsson? Goodness gracious, it’s beautiful. Please get it. Or let me send it to you.)
Kids! It’s been days. And I’ve missed you all terribly, but some things you should know now are:
2. I got a job!
3. I got 10% off when I returned my rental car on top of the free upgrade I got when I rented it!
4. I leave tomorrow for the earthquakin’ coast of Guatemala.
And…
5. I write to you from the “gorgeous” Dayton International Airport. At this airport they are kind enough to offer you free wireless internet, but aren’t so trustworthy, because sites like Facebook, IMDB, MySpace, and yes, Google News are blocked because they are flagged as possibly containing pornography.
That’s all for now. Long layover in Cleveland and we’ve got quite a bit to discuss.
On the run from Johnny Law… ain’t no 30 minute flight to Cleveland.
It’s charming! And cute! And woodsy! (Edit: Anyone else read Freakanomics? If I learned anything from the Real Estate chapter, it’s that I shouldn’t fall for apartments that are described as “charming,” “cute” and especially “woodsy.” But really, it is! In the best way possible! It has an olive green wall AND a is surrounded by gorgeous, beautiful woods!!!)
It’s 3 minutes from Hooters! And a fancy pants brand new Wal-Mart!
My move-in date is July 7 (07/07/07!) and you’re all invited over to help me unpack and put things together and bury ourselves in chicken wings.
Kids! Well, Iain and I made it safe and sound to Cincinnati, greeted by thunderous applause and showers of love from the Heavens. Literally.
All is well so far. Aunt Mary, of course, had a giant meal and lots of family (Cousins Neil, Rick, Zev and Nia and “Aunt” Isabel) waiting for us when we pulled up and I’m still totally full of bagels, fruit, cobbler and egg dishes galore. After the opening ceremony to the Cinc-eat-natti Fest 2007, Iain and I did a small driving tour of the area and came back here so he could nap and I could shower and continue to convince Aunt Mary that I’m still not hungry.
Not much else on the agenda so far except the Reds game on Friday. And again, so sorry for the lack of anything substantial. But I did want to go ahead and check in. I haven’t forgotten about you, haven’t met another blog and you should have no fear that I would ever cleave you. I think it’s just that now school is over, there is nothing to procrastinate from. But have no fear, we’ll find something.
Hope all is well and wonderful with all you Unpaid Interns out there. Haven’t talked to nearly any of you in days so I hope all is well and that you know I miss you terribly!
Don’t give up on our little blog, guys. The Little Blog That Could shall press on to victory! Once I’m back in action, that damned and terribly idiotic CHEEZBURGER site will have nothin’ on us.
(PS- If any of you U.I’s are dying for a project handed down from Yours Truly, you’ve got one: The good people at OfficeTally posted this storythat discusses a certain Office writer/co-star/executive producer’s newest gem released to the iTunes community. Since I am sans chelseaTunes for at least the next week, I don’t really have a way of getting to said gem. So. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to go to iTunes and listen to that little treat and tell me all about it so I may laugh and count the hours until myTunes and I are reunited.)
One more LEGO story on the blog and it might be time to give those little hunks-o-plastic their own tag.
Either that or it’s going to become customary to do a LEGO post before every time I leave on a trip.
Which brings us to this trip’s LEGOodbyes.
Everyone, meet Nathan Sawaya, artist of these fine pieces of LEGO art. Besides the fine art he also built a fully functional air conditioning unit.
I never had much of the patience for LEGOs, but have always admired people like my friend Gordy, who when we were little had an entire town he built out of LEGOs. Easily 10 feet by 20. Easily. Insane.
I would like to nominate Mr. LEGO Sculpture Designer to be a Real American Hero.
My bags are (not) packed and I’m (not) ready to go, but I just wanted to take a quick minute to announce my much delayed return to Southern California this evening.
This has been an absolutely awesome trip and has really given me more reasons to stay than I can think of to leave (one being that I gotta finish up that whole school thing. [Don't worry, I miss you all, too]). I’m harvesting a plan right now that might make a lot of things work for the better and would put me Midwested by Mid-June. More details on this later.
This feels right. And as nervous and scared it all makes me, I know that this is going to be better for everything. Right? Right.
Oh, Midwest, you’ve stolen my heart yet again.
(Unrelated note: Aunt Lynn, Brian, Bradley, Grandma and I ate at Hong Kong Buffet (Reason 28392 I’m moving) for lunch today and there was just the most incredible display of Engrish everywhere you looked. It made me smile and laugh, and for the most part I kept it to myself, but it was difficult. Oh, was it difficult.)
A) It’s snowing! Well, I call it snow. Everyone else in the Midwest would probably call it “flurries” but it’s kind of sticking! I think! I took more pictures of the less than one inch of snow than I have taken in my entire trip so far. I’m acting 5 years old and I am okay with that. Hopefully by next winter this whole “weather” thing is old news to me, otherwise I will probably have a lot less friends.
B) I would upload some of these snow pictures… if I weren’t using my Grandma’s computer. Which is brand spankin’ new. It’s very nice. Pretty. Filled with goodies. One of those data port thingers on the front that has a slot for 8 million different memory cards and the 2 USB cables. But running on dial-up. It just seems like such a terrible waste. And it has reminded me how I would imagine dial-up as a punishment for shoplifting in some countries. It’s also forced me to sign onto AOL which I do maybe, maybe, MAYBE once a year. My inbox has 389 e-mails in it. One day, when I’m bored, I may go through these. Maybe I’m sitting on a mountain of unopened e-mails that say I’ve won a bazillion dollars. Or maybe I’m missing out on some good perscription drug deals. The world may never know.
C) My cell phone charger was left in Cincinnati at Aunt Mary’s. So I’ve got dial up and no cell phone. Tonight it looks like we’re gonna party like its 1999. Yay?
D) Apparently I now “knit.” My grandma is teaching me and I am not really learning. It’s not as easy as it seems and I keep making these giant knots that make my grandma say “You know, Chhhhhhhhelsea… you keep making the same mistake.” (Note: I do not see this “mistake.”) My first scarf is going to be this pretty green color that is colored like good veggies, but smells much nicer.
Anyway, maybe my Christmas 2032 you will all have a scarf or mittens. Put in color requests now. First come, first serve!!!!
I think that’s all for now.
New Office tomorrow night!!! I hope Roy keeps his dirty hands off my man. But if he does handle my man, I hope Jim knows I’ll go out and stock up on frozen peas, vanilla ice cream and rent us the entire first season of Good Times or somesing.
Also, according to Aunt Lynn, cousins and Grandma, I need to start working on editing my vocabulary.
(Silena- You’ve earned a few points here. My Aunt called me out on saying “market,” like you always do. She says I have to start saying “store.” See, you’re already better adjusted than I am!)
I am 3-ish hours returned from an absolutely lovely day/night in the greater Louisville area and had a truly fantastic time filled with good foods, good laughs and the best peoples. I’m still not ready to eat anything. Cheeseburgers, french fries, sushi, sushi, sushi, eel (!), and banana flavored pancakes. All super good. Thanks to John, the greatest host ever and to Bob, Courtney and Oliver. You were all some of the best company a girl could ask for.
I have to go to a pre-passover dinner tonight at Aunt Mary’s friend Helen’s house. Can’t. Yet. Think. About. Food.
Utterly. Speechless. And. Embarrassed.
Reason 34908234 I’m moving. Far, far away.
Edit: I can’t even express how incredibly awful and terrible and angry this makes me feel. GRRRRR.
Edit 2: No, really. I’m trying to think of something but all that comes through is a bad case of potty mouth.
Edit 3: Depressing.
Allow The Great Jew Food Eating Fest 2007 to officially COMMENCE.
I got to my sweet, wonderful and hilarious Aunt Mary’s house and probably less than 4 minutes later I was at the kitchen table with a giant bowl of matzo ball soup and chicken salad.
Blugggghhh…
I’m off in a little bit here on my mini road trip from Columbus to Cincinnati. My rental car smells like mold, so I’ll have to pit stop on the way out and pick up something that will make this smell go away. Mapquest gives me just under two hours to get there, so let’s see how we do.
Not sure what my internets situation will be down there, so who knows what riveting, exhilirating and all-in-all crackerjack kinds of posts you can be expecting from me. We’ll see what happens upon arrival.
Other than that not much to report. Hopefully this changes.
Children, I am so very sorry that I am no good at this blogging business. You must forgive me and my absent minded self. Life has been rather crazy these past few days as this evening I am leaving on a jet plane. And I’m not sure when I’ll be back again. Actually, I do. Sometime next week. But that’s not important now. I’m on the hunt for employment, housing and a potential city I can soon call “home.” Fingers crossed, children. I’m incredibly nervous, very excited and all around an entire rainbow of emotions and energy.
But, for now, I owe you many things.
1. Phriday Foto:
I don’t know how that happened, but it did and I missed a Friday. So I will give you three from last week’s Archaeology session at Anthro/Expo.
Anthro Geeks Erica Jean (The lovely ASA VP and Anthro/Expo coordinator) and Traaacy (Birthday GIRL and my co-chair in planning the ASA Red Rock Archaeology field trip to Las Vegas!!!!!!)
Xenia explains to me how she’s making her obsidian hand axe.
Miss Brittany spins yarn from wool.
All very exciting. All very awesome.
2. My list of biggest fears ever has a new item.
1. Snakes.
2. Sharks.
3. Haunted houses/woods/places.
4. Cat People.
Post to be continued on le airplane. Much to discuss. Much to do.
That was a terrible movie, Wagons, East! Canadian Bacon was much better. But still stupid.
However, the title lends itself quite nicely to be the best way to describe what I think was supposed to be the main purpose of starting the blog, to keep tabs on myself these next few months. And the apparent focus of these next few months is packing up my covered wagon and hitting the trail. Oregon Trail style, except without the canibalism, getting ripped off to take a ferry across the big river, and having to kill my oxen because they get broken limbs. The Ohio-ish Trail, with much less exciting interactive capabilities. For now, at least. We can develop this later.
There hasn’t been much to say on this front, except expression of the complete fear I experience more days than not, in relation to the whole notion of moving. Don’t get me wrong, I am more excited than anything to leave behind West Coast Life, but who knows if No Coast Life is going to work.
But anyway, the adventure, as I suppose we can call it, has already begun. I’ve applied for a few jobs and have been officially rejected by one, the one I really wanted most:
The situation couldn’t have been written better by Owen and Wes themselves. Carelessly thumbing through the throw-away mail and letters that are meant to look important, I nearly skipped right past a postcard that had a beautiful picture of the Cincinnati Museum Center on the front and the back a classic, two-column postcard. One bearing the label of my name, address and in parenthesis “SENIOR YOUTH PROGRAM COORDINATOR,” and the other a typed out message with blanks to be filled in by the person delivering the bad news. Specific information, you know, like “MS. GRAHAM” “SENIOR YOUTH PROGRAM COORDINATOR.” and a note saying if I wanted to apply for another job later on, that my application is on file. I thought the postcard was a nice touch. You know, like “Ha, this is where you’re not going to be working.”
I was upset for a good five minutes, but then carried on as usual and left the postcard in a pile of throw away mail, only realizing later that I should have kept it. One should keep record of her defeats, as well as victories.
So, now we wait some more. Spirits slightly damaged, but press on we must. My next in-stone leg of the journey comes at the end of March when I will venture to Cincinnati in search of potential places to live as well as employment. I’m looking forward to the trip. I’ll have a rental car to do some driving around and exploring and really getting a feel for the city when I’m Han Solo. I’m actually most excited for driving around and finding things out about the city that maybe, possibly will become home. I think it’ll be good. And it will be a nice break before the final push of school.
Graduation is May 30th at 8 am, even though the semester ends a week prior. I’m excited, but mostly nervous. Hopefully some news will surface soon that will help quiet my brain. I hope my mailbox starts bearing excellent surprises and news. One can only hope.
Til next time… Wagons, East!
PS- Iain got some good news today, he got into Ohio State. I’m beaming with Older Sister Pride and can only hope he picks the option of being my neighbor to the North.
