Moving
Showing posts with label Moving. Show all posts
Finally, an update
So much has happened since my last post, so I'll try to sum it all up and then do one giant post of pics to give a better idea of what's been going on with this Misplaced Texan.
After a grueling 2 days of driving through 5 states, and a nice stop to the (under-rated) Grand Canyon, Guillaume and I finally arrived at my sister's place on the 4th. We had such a great time visiting with her, David and my adorable nephews, that it was hard to leave; we even extended our stay for one day to get a little more time in with the kiddos. We were there just long enough to celebrate my nephew's 4th birthday, too, which was actually really fun for us! It was definitely the highlight of our trip. Last Tuesday evening we arrived at our friends' place back in Austin where we had planned to stay for the week. We had a really great time catching up with all our friends (and family), and we were so happy to be back in Austin with familiar places and faces. I even ran into 3 of my cousins at a sport's bar watching the Texas game!
But, alas, Guillaume had to set off back to France today, and we were both very sad about our separation. We're really hoping to see eachother in 8 weeks or less, but no matter how many times we go through this same routine, it never gets any easier. It will be nice once we're finally able to be together without any time restrictions. For now, we'll have to make do with what we've got, which is what we've managed to do so far.
After a grueling 2 days of driving through 5 states, and a nice stop to the (under-rated) Grand Canyon, Guillaume and I finally arrived at my sister's place on the 4th. We had such a great time visiting with her, David and my adorable nephews, that it was hard to leave; we even extended our stay for one day to get a little more time in with the kiddos. We were there just long enough to celebrate my nephew's 4th birthday, too, which was actually really fun for us! It was definitely the highlight of our trip. Last Tuesday evening we arrived at our friends' place back in Austin where we had planned to stay for the week. We had a really great time catching up with all our friends (and family), and we were so happy to be back in Austin with familiar places and faces. I even ran into 3 of my cousins at a sport's bar watching the Texas game!
But, alas, Guillaume had to set off back to France today, and we were both very sad about our separation. We're really hoping to see eachother in 8 weeks or less, but no matter how many times we go through this same routine, it never gets any easier. It will be nice once we're finally able to be together without any time restrictions. For now, we'll have to make do with what we've got, which is what we've managed to do so far.
heat + moving + no food + no electricity = ready for the day to be over
My computer might die since my battery hasn't been charged all day and our electricity's already been cancelled, so hopefully I can finish this blog in, let's see...21 mins (that should be enough time).
So it's gone. All of it. I don't have anything left in this hot, little apartment by the beach except a couch that Salli (the Salvation Army) couldn't take because of a hole in the cushion. I'm waiting for my neighbor to drag it out of here so I can finish sweeping and mopping the living room floor. I finished the bathroom, our bedroom and the kitchen, but I've got one more room left to do before we can officially be outta here. This morning, we shoved everything into our cars that we could fit, so they could take the furniture out of the apartment. Guillaume had to work today, so I was kind of left here to sort it all out after he headed out. What a disaster it was! I had no luck selling my things on Craigslist (& let me just say that people are SUCH flakes...a gazillion people wanted some of my furniture, but they never showed up or called back!), so I scheduled an appointment online for the Salvation Army to pick it up as a donation. I guess it'll be a little nice around tax season, but it was really hard to depart with some of my things that I've had for so long. It was the first time I actually teared up thinking about my journey ahead and the places, people and memories I'm leaving behind.
I have one more day of work tomorrow, and as soon as Guillaume can sell his car, we're heading out on the road! I'm a little nervous, but mostly excited about the trip. I just can't wait to see my little nephews, my friends and all my family! Oops, there goes the low battery message....perfect timing.
So it's gone. All of it. I don't have anything left in this hot, little apartment by the beach except a couch that Salli (the Salvation Army) couldn't take because of a hole in the cushion. I'm waiting for my neighbor to drag it out of here so I can finish sweeping and mopping the living room floor. I finished the bathroom, our bedroom and the kitchen, but I've got one more room left to do before we can officially be outta here. This morning, we shoved everything into our cars that we could fit, so they could take the furniture out of the apartment. Guillaume had to work today, so I was kind of left here to sort it all out after he headed out. What a disaster it was! I had no luck selling my things on Craigslist (& let me just say that people are SUCH flakes...a gazillion people wanted some of my furniture, but they never showed up or called back!), so I scheduled an appointment online for the Salvation Army to pick it up as a donation. I guess it'll be a little nice around tax season, but it was really hard to depart with some of my things that I've had for so long. It was the first time I actually teared up thinking about my journey ahead and the places, people and memories I'm leaving behind.
I have one more day of work tomorrow, and as soon as Guillaume can sell his car, we're heading out on the road! I'm a little nervous, but mostly excited about the trip. I just can't wait to see my little nephews, my friends and all my family! Oops, there goes the low battery message....perfect timing.
Keeping me going
Moving Madness
I hate moving. I don't understand how I can be such a nomad but hate the act of moving from place to place. When we were little, we moved around Austin quite a bit, and even as I grew up, I never really lived in a house long enough to say there was one place I actually grew up in. I'm happy about being able to move around freely from place to place, as I've obviously been able to leave my comfort zones and allow myself to explore other places without too much uneasiness. But, I think this time is a little different; I've been purging my life away. I have 3 bag-fulls of clothes that I'm letting go of (undoubtedly, no easy task in my book), and I'm selling off or donating the rest of my furniture and other belongings that just won't fit in my car. I already feel like my life was so consolidated for the move to California, so having to consolidate my consolidated lifestyle is nearly unbearable. I shipped off 5 boxes of books, clothes and bags back to Texas yesterday, and I'm making some progress towards that consolidation, but it's still tough. I might have to buy and install a roof rack to my car or break down and hire a company to ship my things back for me if I can't manage to fit all I want in my little VW.
I know it'll all come together by Friday....it's just that Friday seems like an eternity from now.
I know it'll all come together by Friday....it's just that Friday seems like an eternity from now.
Road Trip!
California is a great state. Since I arrived here, I've found myself becoming more and more like a true Californian; I've reestablished my love for the beach and the sun, begun speaking the west-coast lingo, for sure, and found myself in flip flops and board shorts more times than I can remember (in fact, my heels have been getting a little dusty!). But, now it's time to say goodbye to the rainless state (it hasn't rained since I arrived, unless you count the 1-hour sprinkle that I confronted one morning).
The last few weeks have been tough, as I've been trying to decide what my next step will be. I've really fallen in love with my job and the company I work for, but it's become obvious that I can't financially support myself here once Guillaume sets off back to France. I've decided that the best move for me right now is one that's closer to home. We're still sorting out the details for the next couple of months, but for the most part, we've set out a plan that we're hoping will work for us.
Guillaume finishes up his internship on the 31st, so we decided to make the most of his last 2 weeks in the States by taking a road trip back to Austin, stopping at the Grand Canyon, Denver, Kansas to see my sis and celebrate my nephew's birthday, and Dallas to see my mom and step-dad before finally arriving in Austin. It should be a fun trip, provided that my car stays alive throughout! Click here to see the route we're going to take.
I really can't wait to be back home and see everyone! I have so much to figure out still, but I think it'll be much easier with friends and family around for support and advice. Besides friends and fam, there are a few things that I'm really looking forward to when I get home: Taco Cabana (tex-mex food, in general), less traffic(!), unlimited mimosas, Trudy's (I've been CRAVING a stuffed avocado and queso especial sooo badly), Fireman's #4, the happiest hour, and S. Congress. We'll be in Austin around the 10th, woo-hoo!!
The last few weeks have been tough, as I've been trying to decide what my next step will be. I've really fallen in love with my job and the company I work for, but it's become obvious that I can't financially support myself here once Guillaume sets off back to France. I've decided that the best move for me right now is one that's closer to home. We're still sorting out the details for the next couple of months, but for the most part, we've set out a plan that we're hoping will work for us.
Guillaume finishes up his internship on the 31st, so we decided to make the most of his last 2 weeks in the States by taking a road trip back to Austin, stopping at the Grand Canyon, Denver, Kansas to see my sis and celebrate my nephew's birthday, and Dallas to see my mom and step-dad before finally arriving in Austin. It should be a fun trip, provided that my car stays alive throughout! Click here to see the route we're going to take.
I really can't wait to be back home and see everyone! I have so much to figure out still, but I think it'll be much easier with friends and family around for support and advice. Besides friends and fam, there are a few things that I'm really looking forward to when I get home: Taco Cabana (tex-mex food, in general), less traffic(!), unlimited mimosas, Trudy's (I've been CRAVING a stuffed avocado and queso especial sooo badly), Fireman's #4, the happiest hour, and S. Congress. We'll be in Austin around the 10th, woo-hoo!!
Never in my life
Never have I ever paid so much for a tank of gas!
Before I moved to California, people warned me that it's much more expensive to live here, but when I first got here there were no real noticeable differences in price; apartment prices were comparable to those in Austin (the most expensive city to live in in Texas besides Dallas), clothes and shoes were about the same, and even drinks often cost as little as $3.00 a pint. After living here for a month now, I've realized that grocery shopping is a bit more pricey (there ain't no HEBs here, that's for sure), and our fave past-time, eating out, is definitely more expensive - even for fast food! Not to mention that I took a pay-CUT to get closer to my dream-job, and Gui isn't exactly rolling in the dough as an intern. So, paying nearly $50 every week for gas is certainly a set-back and not something I'm looking forward to as gas prices are getting ready to sky-rocket for the summer! Even worse, starting mid-June I'll be driving 3x further than I am now!! It's all a bit scary, but definitely aroused my usually tepid interest in hybrids!
Before I moved to California, people warned me that it's much more expensive to live here, but when I first got here there were no real noticeable differences in price; apartment prices were comparable to those in Austin (the most expensive city to live in in Texas besides Dallas), clothes and shoes were about the same, and even drinks often cost as little as $3.00 a pint. After living here for a month now, I've realized that grocery shopping is a bit more pricey (there ain't no HEBs here, that's for sure), and our fave past-time, eating out, is definitely more expensive - even for fast food! Not to mention that I took a pay-CUT to get closer to my dream-job, and Gui isn't exactly rolling in the dough as an intern. So, paying nearly $50 every week for gas is certainly a set-back and not something I'm looking forward to as gas prices are getting ready to sky-rocket for the summer! Even worse, starting mid-June I'll be driving 3x further than I am now!! It's all a bit scary, but definitely aroused my usually tepid interest in hybrids!
Heading to the O.C.
For business and other reasons, my training for work will be relocating to the South Coast Plaza store in Costa Mesa. I'm excited about reducing my commute by half and training at a much smaller and less-hectic store, but I'll admit I'm a little sad to leave Beverly Hills after such a short stay. The Beverly Center has been a neat experience, though, and both Guillaume and I were able to exlplore Beverly Hills (including Melrose & Sunset Blvds) a bit, too. We'll definitely be back, especially when Irisa comes, to dabble in the abundant night-life and various eateries around there. I'm glad I've had the chance to get to know the place a little. Guillaume and I, however, share separate views on the people and community there; while I'd love to live in such a happening and bustling area of LA, he prefers the laid-back, slow-moving and easy-going environment in Long Beach. As much as I love Long Beach and living here, while I'm young, I think a place like Beverly Hills could offer the fun, entertainment and culture (not to mention shopping!) that I want to be a part of before I get too grown-up. Long Beach very much reminds me of Austin, which is really great, but before I left Austin I always pictured myself living in a bigger city before returning to settle in my hometown with a family (with or without kids). Although the LBC is much larger than Austin, it still has the same quaintness and charm that Austin has, so I feel like I'm still in a big-small, hip town. It'll be nice to finally get a chance to experience that hustle and bustle once I make the move to the Hollywood Hills in September, I just hope I'm not disappointed. For now, I'll enjoy my time near the beach and in walking-distance to my favorite coffee shop, bar and pizza joint. Oh, and this nice French wine that Gui picked up at Trader Joe's for a measly 6 bucks!
My first night
So last night was the first night I stayed at my new apartment in the LBC (yeah, like Warren G.). It was a little scary...being alone in a very new place with no one around that you know is definitely a scary situation. But, I survived. It was very cold, and since we don't have our bed set up yet, I had to make myself a space to sleep with pillows and blankets I'd just bought from Target...not the most comfortable set-up, but it was just one night. I was awakened around 1 AM to the sound of a helicopter flying overhead. Now, we don't live in a bad neighborhood, but in California, I've learned that the difference between the ghetto and the Bel Air Estates can be a very short block. So, needless to say, I was a bit shaken up at the prospect of some strange fugitive breaking through my bedroom window to kill me. Mind you, I occasionally have these same fears lying in bed at 2AM in Kyle, Texas, so let's not be so quick to blame my new 'hood. Anyway, after spending a bit of time in my new digs I started visualizing what it will be like once everything's all moved in and set up for us. I pictured a very comfortable set-up with a little beachy feel to it, windows opened often, and smells of feel-good food cooking in our antique mini-oven...I think it's going to be nice. In one week, I'll have officially established myself as a Long Beach resident and a whole new chapter will begin. A little bit exhilirating.
A breath of air
It's been a long, full, hectic week - make that nearly a week. I've been in California for 5 full days now, and everyday I've learned something new about the place and people. It's funny how you can have so many people telling you so many different and same things about one place and you never really get to prove or disprove those things until you're actually there. I'm actually here now and the weather's meh, the people are rarely beautiful (I definitely prefer Texans), and the shopping...it's better than I imagined!
So, there's good news and bad news to report from the west coast. The good news is that Gui and I finally found an apartment and I signed the lease yesterday. It's in a pretty nice area of Long Beach with beach and shops within walking distance. It's incredibly tiny (well, by Guillaume's French standards, it's standard size), the stove and fridge are tiny, but the closet space is ample (thank God). It's completely empty at the moment, so I'm making a trip to Target to pick up some essentials this afternoon before Gui gets back from San Fran [to update: he left on Monday and is in San Francisco until Sunday for work].
Now, to the bad news. I haven't had as much luck with the job search as I'd hoped. I went to a job interview on Monday with a placement firm, and they were completely pumped about getting me into a job. I had an interview with a hedgefund yesterday in Beverly Hills, which was an enlightening experience. I've never seen so many Bentleys, Benzes and Beamers on one level in a parking garage before in my life! I definitely felt sub-par driving around Santa Monica Blvd and Rodeo Drive in Guillaume's little, beat-up Saturn. :) But, the interview went well. I don't think I'd be up for such a long commute (about 2 hours each way) every single day, which brings me to another point. As much as I hate traffic, I defintely don't mind LA traffic. It's fast, full-speed traffic that only exploits the crappy, slow drivers. And, everyone uses their blinkers (indicators, for you Brits reading this)!!! That's certaintly a very welcome change to my commute.
I'm realizing that the strangest thing about where we're living is the very obvious mix of people - youngsters and old folks alike are all going to the same places. Example: during our St. Patty's celebration, we found that at every bar, there were people celebrating that were our age with folks my parents' ages! It was a little different, but defintely a fun time [will post pics soon]. This little coffee haven I found a few blocks from our place is another example; about half are 20-somethings and the other half late-fourties and older. It's another change that I think I'll start to get used to. Everyone's rather friendly here, too, which is a relief.
So, off for more exploration. Updates to be forthcoming!
So, there's good news and bad news to report from the west coast. The good news is that Gui and I finally found an apartment and I signed the lease yesterday. It's in a pretty nice area of Long Beach with beach and shops within walking distance. It's incredibly tiny (well, by Guillaume's French standards, it's standard size), the stove and fridge are tiny, but the closet space is ample (thank God). It's completely empty at the moment, so I'm making a trip to Target to pick up some essentials this afternoon before Gui gets back from San Fran [to update: he left on Monday and is in San Francisco until Sunday for work].
Now, to the bad news. I haven't had as much luck with the job search as I'd hoped. I went to a job interview on Monday with a placement firm, and they were completely pumped about getting me into a job. I had an interview with a hedgefund yesterday in Beverly Hills, which was an enlightening experience. I've never seen so many Bentleys, Benzes and Beamers on one level in a parking garage before in my life! I definitely felt sub-par driving around Santa Monica Blvd and Rodeo Drive in Guillaume's little, beat-up Saturn. :) But, the interview went well. I don't think I'd be up for such a long commute (about 2 hours each way) every single day, which brings me to another point. As much as I hate traffic, I defintely don't mind LA traffic. It's fast, full-speed traffic that only exploits the crappy, slow drivers. And, everyone uses their blinkers (indicators, for you Brits reading this)!!! That's certaintly a very welcome change to my commute.
I'm realizing that the strangest thing about where we're living is the very obvious mix of people - youngsters and old folks alike are all going to the same places. Example: during our St. Patty's celebration, we found that at every bar, there were people celebrating that were our age with folks my parents' ages! It was a little different, but defintely a fun time [will post pics soon]. This little coffee haven I found a few blocks from our place is another example; about half are 20-somethings and the other half late-fourties and older. It's another change that I think I'll start to get used to. Everyone's rather friendly here, too, which is a relief.
So, off for more exploration. Updates to be forthcoming!
I'm here!
Ok, I don't have much time to write about everything right now, but I've made it safely to Long Beach...it's very nice! It was so great to see Guillaume at the airport, and the weather has turned out to be really nice for my first day in town. The bad news is that my interview with Bloomie's went really crappy....well, actually it didn't go crappy, but I was informed that they had just filled the position that I had applied for. They wanted me to consider other positions (floor positions like sales, cust. service, merchandising, etc.), but I'm not going to sell my self out like that. I don't have the desire to work in retail, and I'm just going to wait it out and hope for the best. We'll see how things go Monday with my other interview. Right now, Gui and I are having a coffee/muffin break while we look around for apartments. It's really nice in this area - very trendy with starbucks all around and a few small bars and pubs. We still need to find a place to have a green beer!! I'm not even wearing green today!!!! So, off we go...I'll keep things updated soon. I'm sorry if I haven't called anyone, my stupid phone is roaming and likely charging me out the a** to talk on it.....I need Ely to hook me up! : ) I'm gonna see about getting another plan while I'm here, maybe. So, y'all have fun for me tonight...don't forget the ICBs and kilts! TAKE PICTURES! All my love to everyone back home!
Exhaustive Progress
Exhaustion has set in. After a long, full day of shopping for work clothes and sandals, I finally headed home around 6pm with a pair of *yawn* black slacks. Boooo. I also scored a $12 sweater at The Limited and a cute tank from Strut, but nothing that was on my list. I kept thinking while I was shopping, "Now, I could buy this pretty cute top for $58 or save my money and spend it on a really cute top at Zara once I get to LA next week." I hope LA doesn't disappoint in the fashion department, but what am I saying?...it's ELLLL AAAAAY...of course it won't disappoint here. Geesh, I must be really tired.
So, after a long day of shopping, I contemplated going out for a drink, but then realized I was just not in the mood to put together an outfit and try to doll myself up. I decided to veg-out, but couldn't help but feel guilty that I wasn't doing something in preparation for this horrid week of packing and cleaning and organizing. About half-way through the opening act of SNL, I jumped off the couch and went straight for the garage to sift through the mountain of Rubbermaid storage boxes. Man, I have a lot of shiznit! After going through the first 3 boxes, I figured I would soon start seeing ornaments and tinsel when I lifted the next box lid, but nope...more kitchen stuff, more purses, more shoes, more JUNK!! Today is the day I decide to ditch my pack-rat ways and turn over a new leaf of purging! It felt good to narrow my box count down from 8 boxes to 4! Woohoo!! My mom could definitely take some hints from the new me; her organization skills are, shall I say, reprehensible and I think she could do with a little purging herself. In fact, it's obvious that her bad pack-ratting habits were passed along to me in the womb. So, alas, I've managed to pack up the kitchen stuffs (as Gui likes to pluralize it) and a few other items to take along, while at the same time making some space in the garage for more of Mom's junk ;)
So, after a long day of shopping, I contemplated going out for a drink, but then realized I was just not in the mood to put together an outfit and try to doll myself up. I decided to veg-out, but couldn't help but feel guilty that I wasn't doing something in preparation for this horrid week of packing and cleaning and organizing. About half-way through the opening act of SNL, I jumped off the couch and went straight for the garage to sift through the mountain of Rubbermaid storage boxes. Man, I have a lot of shiznit! After going through the first 3 boxes, I figured I would soon start seeing ornaments and tinsel when I lifted the next box lid, but nope...more kitchen stuff, more purses, more shoes, more JUNK!! Today is the day I decide to ditch my pack-rat ways and turn over a new leaf of purging! It felt good to narrow my box count down from 8 boxes to 4! Woohoo!! My mom could definitely take some hints from the new me; her organization skills are, shall I say, reprehensible and I think she could do with a little purging herself. In fact, it's obvious that her bad pack-ratting habits were passed along to me in the womb. So, alas, I've managed to pack up the kitchen stuffs (as Gui likes to pluralize it) and a few other items to take along, while at the same time making some space in the garage for more of Mom's junk ;)
Guillaume has made his way West
I finally received the much-anticipated phone call from Guillaume last night, while having coffee with friends, to inform me that he had arrived safely in the city of angels. It was about an hour after he arrived and you could tell his face was beaming with excitement the whole length of the conversation. The call was brief because he doesn't have a cell phone set-up yet and was running out of quarters for the pay phone. From what I gathered, he was picked up by two Canadians who he described as being "very, very cool" (a relief since I've never met a proper Canadian and was a little worried about what they'd think of a very American French guy...but, admittedly, my worry was slightly artificial, knowing that Guillaume gets along with everyone he meets). He said the flight was good and he's shacking up at the local Holiday Inn for now until he can arrange for an apartment (that's a whole other story that merits its own blog someday), but he made it clear to me that they were all going out to a bar and he was thrilled about it.
I was a little disappointed with such a short call, but I was very happy to hear that he arrived safely and was in very good spirits. I'm realizing, waking up this morning, that it's much more difficult to be apart from him when he's so freakin' close than when he's an ocean away. I've got to adapt for the next week to our new time difference. Instead of his schedule being 7 hours ahead, he's now 2 hours behind. So, for instance, waking up this morning, we'd usually have a nice long web-cam chat over Messenger or Skype, while he was in the late afternoon of his day; I'd go about my day afterwards, he'd go out with friends in the evening and we'd have another - much briefer - call anywhere between 5 and 8pm just as he was going to bed and I was getting ready to go out. Guillaume is, by no means, an early-to-rise kinda guy...he loves his sleep and could sleep for 18 hours straight if given the chance, so this new waiting game I'm going to have to play for the next week is going to be predictably torturous! Besides this, we will be in polar opposite mentalities this week as he begins a new job and exploring a new city, making new friends, while I'm wrapping up my time at work and with friends, hurriedly packing and preparing for interviews and the big move (which I'm totally unprepared for at the mo).
It's undoubtedly going to be a tough week, but I'll try to remain focused on the light at the end of the tunnel that's only 6 days away now. Wow.
I was a little disappointed with such a short call, but I was very happy to hear that he arrived safely and was in very good spirits. I'm realizing, waking up this morning, that it's much more difficult to be apart from him when he's so freakin' close than when he's an ocean away. I've got to adapt for the next week to our new time difference. Instead of his schedule being 7 hours ahead, he's now 2 hours behind. So, for instance, waking up this morning, we'd usually have a nice long web-cam chat over Messenger or Skype, while he was in the late afternoon of his day; I'd go about my day afterwards, he'd go out with friends in the evening and we'd have another - much briefer - call anywhere between 5 and 8pm just as he was going to bed and I was getting ready to go out. Guillaume is, by no means, an early-to-rise kinda guy...he loves his sleep and could sleep for 18 hours straight if given the chance, so this new waiting game I'm going to have to play for the next week is going to be predictably torturous! Besides this, we will be in polar opposite mentalities this week as he begins a new job and exploring a new city, making new friends, while I'm wrapping up my time at work and with friends, hurriedly packing and preparing for interviews and the big move (which I'm totally unprepared for at the mo).
It's undoubtedly going to be a tough week, but I'll try to remain focused on the light at the end of the tunnel that's only 6 days away now. Wow.
Shaping Up to Ship Out
It's almost time to get my hands dirty and begin unearthing the boxes and furniture from the garage and my black hole of a closet. I haven't actually lived outside of my parents' house for nearly 2 years now (not counting the 5 months that I lived with Guillaume at Merrimac Apts during his internship). It's strange to think of all the things one can accumulate over the years, and even stranger to think of how it can all just disappear with one move. I can't recall what dishes are mine, what sheets go with my bed, or what books I actually bought. I haven't needed living room or kitchen furniture for 2 years now, and my mind is anxiously trying to remember what happened to all that stuff I used to have. There is much to organize as I get ready for the big move. My room is a complete disaster...papers and shoes tossed about, clothes piled on clothes, hair products and brushes strewn about the floor in front of my mirror. I've got a lot of work to do....
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