Ch ch ch changes

It's been a few weeks, so I will do my best to hit all of the mildly interesting/ entertaining things that have happened since I last wrote.

I will start with the biggest and best news: My best friend is engaged! I am so happy for her and Trevor, and selfishly, for myself because I don't have to hear her whine any more about not having a ring on her finger (love you, Sam). Sami and I have been through a lot together, and since we met in high school, have had thousands of conversations about boys and love and things of that nature. After break-ups, we have been each others support,with the assistance of Ben and Jerry's and sappy romantic movies, of course. It's refreshing to know she's in love, and with someone I know has the capacity to love her as she deserves, and occasionally puts her in her place when she gets all cocky (not too often, though). I can't wait for the wedding. It's going to be the party of the century.

In other news, my friend Dominique and I have found a temporary place to live in LA, so traffic should soon become slightly more bearable for me. We are living with five, I repeat, five college sophomore boys, so it should be an interesting two months. Hopefully another exciting chapter in this California adventure, or at least, that's how I'm looking at it. I've lived with four guys (granted they are about ten years older) for the past several months, and maybe it has trained me for this. She and I are sharing a room for the two months, so I'm preparing myself to live out of boxes again. That is one part I am not looking forward to, but hopefully we are able to find something slightly more spacious by August. In case you were wondering, a one bedroom apartment on the west side costs at minimum $1350 per month, and that is usually in a not very nice area (not necessarily dangerous, but not really safe either--usually super close to a freeway). I think looking on the east side is going to be our best bet.

This move is a good one for my car as well. Poor Eddie the Escort has been working so hard these past couple of months. She actually broke down on me a few weeks ago, which was, in a word, terrifying. I was driving down the freeway when my airbag light came on. About ten minutes later, my fuel light quit working, and then my speedometer quit working, and my lights, and my signals. Crazy! I was able to get off the freeway and in to a parking lot of some family-style restaurant in West Covina. They had pie, but I was too worried to eat it. (This should give you some gauge of how freaked out I was. I REALLY love pie.) After I turned my car off, it wouldn't start again, and I called my Dad. That probably seems dumb, seeing as he's in Missouri, and also because it was 11 PM his time (I really freaked him out), but I wanted to know if he had any idea what would cause that. After I got off the phone with him, I called people from the co-op where I live to come get me. Luckily, one of them had AAA ,and got my car towed back to the house for free. The next day, another friend at the co-op helped me get it to the shop so that I could get new alternator. (Thanks so much Charles, Lisa, and Ryan! People like y'all are what make this place so great!)

Last week I got to see two of my Missouri friends- Mac and Clint. Mac went with my friend Cait and I to Echo Park so we could celebrate Cait's new job in Seattle and so that I could buy him a drink since he is officially old enough. Cait used to live in Echo Park, so she knows what's good. We have our favorite spots, and hit all of them. Best of all, we went to one of the bars which was having soul night, and danced like crazy people. Mac and I are going to have to keep doing this, but dang it Cait, we wish you would just stay and come along too! Cait's my best friend here. She and I were in a very similar situation when we met, and have clung to each other over the past year when times were tough and our families were on the other side of the country. We've also had some of the best times together--like Thanksgiving, the last day of the world, Christmas parties, beach days, thrifting days, exploring new places, the list goes on. . . I'm hoping I can go see her in Seattle this summer, or maybe in early fall.

Clint and I had "Missouri night" on Friday. We ate BBQ, drank Budweiser, and went to the Cardinals @ Dodgers game. It was so much fun! Clint had just been home for a few days, and still had that Missouri aura about him. After the game, there was a fireworks show, and they let us on the field. Well, we waited a little late to go out there, so I just jumped over the wall, and Clint tried to , but got caught and security yelled at him and made him go back. I picked up some dirt from the field and let him touch it though. The fireworks themselves were the best I've seen since I moved here. That's not saying a lot, but it was still really beautiful.

Everything seems to be changing, but it's going to be good. I can feel it. 

Time to sleep.

LH

Joining a gym: the good, the bad, and the ugly

I joined a gym last Friday. It's probably the smartest thing I've done since I got this new job (or maybe since I moved to California). Instead of sitting in traffic for an extra two hours today, I worked out (a little) and sat in the hot tub (a lot). LA Fitness is an interesting place. Here is the good, the bad, and the ugly:

The good: I met an extremely handsome guy when swimming laps. We shared a lane. It was great. Afterwards I was whining about not having a towel and dramatically telling him how Mizzou Rec always had towels and that I was spoiled there, and how I was lucky that I packed several outfits and that I'd just use my shirt to dry off etc, etc. He offered me his towel, and I told him, "we aren't that close yet". To which he responded, "Is it because it touched my almost naked body?." Yes, yes it was. He was funny (and attractive) though, so I used it. No big deal. (Did I mention that he was really cute? REALLY cute.)

The bad: The bad (besides not having towels) and the ugly both have to do with my tour guide/sales guy that was trying to tell me why LA Fitness "is the gym for me". In his pitch, he said something like, "you will find that working out will make you feel better and look better. It will also make you more confident." I bit my tongue. That may work on some people, but do I seem insecure? Heeeeccccckkk no. If anything, I'm overconfident.

The ugly: Also in this conversation, he asked, "What does your boyfriend think of you joining?". I said something like, "Don't have to worry about that. No boyfriend. " He replied, "It won't be long, girl, if you know what I'm sayin'!",  and then held his hand up for a high five, which I reluctantly received.  These are the times it would be funny if I was a lesbian. Too bad I like dudes and just seemed lame.

Overall my experience has been great,though. This gym just needs to hire a new salesman. . . and maybe get some towels. I am looking forward to getting in shape. I'm already a month in to swimsuit season, and spend entirely too much time at the beach to look flabby. Flabby is such an awful word. Anyone agree? From now on, lets just call it fluff. I am a little too "fluffy" for my bikini. Better? Maybe not.

Confidently single (take that!),
LH