First Impressions of La La Land

We have officially been in our new place a week (but technically only four days since we went to Austin in between). It was kind of crazy to take off only a few hours after the movers came, but in hindsight it was actually pretty awesome. We were getting a wee bit testy with one another from all the stress and endless boxes so to be able to walk from it and come back fresh ruled. As Spiros said, "I'd definitely recommend everyone plan a little holiday in the middle of their move." (I really hope Spiros' diction doesn't change from its precious Euro-ness, it would be a reallll shame.)

Anyway, here are a few snippets of first impressions:

• Bentleys, Bentleys, everywhere. Please God don't let me hit one.
• I am the fattest person at my new yoga studio :( (Also over Thanksgiving my family told me it was "genetically impossible" for me to become anorexic. Goooood times.) I will miss being able to strategically situate myself next to someone who ways more than 55 lbs in order to not feel terrible the entire time. But perhaps it will be the real motivation I need?
• People in LA are probably the worst driver's in the world. Spiros said they are "animals" here. And having learned to drive in the insanity of Athens, that is saying something. 
• I realized I am bad at celebrity spotting because I tend to think I am the most important person in my vicinity. Maybe I will fit in here after all!
• I am awesome at online shopping. So far everything that has been delivered we love. (Pictures to come, it is still half done.)
• My bartering skills when dealing with service people have definitely improved, but I can only handle so many phone calls with Time Warner Cable before I almost cry on the phone. (Apparently the more you scream "THIS IS RIDICULOUS" to a customer service representative in India, the less they know how to deal with you.)
• And last, but not least: WE ARE GETTING A PUPPY. WE ARE GETTING A PUPPY. WE ARE GETTING A PUPPY. In case it hasn't sunk in yet, WE ARE GETTING A PUPPY! I know it is not right to compare this to women who suffer from infertility and struggle for years to get pregnant, but whatever, THAT IS HOW I FEEL. IT IS FINALLY HAPPENING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The end. 

P dot S: Everyone come visit ASAP. Even if I don't know you, that's cool. If you pass the rigorous screening process of thinking I am funny and also not being a robber/murderer, then it's fine!

Finally Time To Share Our Exciting News

All Spiros knew about Thanksgiving was what he'd learned from sitcoms so I insisted the day would not be complete without some drama and excitement in real life too. Since my family boringly gets along, I knew we'd have to make it ourselves. (Consider it our contribution to the meal since our midnight arrival the night before killed any desire to help actually prepare any dishes.)

Anyway, it was also perfect timing to share our exciting news that I had painstakingly been keeping from everybody.

After the blessing, while all 20+ family members were gathered in one room, I grabbed Spiros' hand and told everyone we had something important to share while we had everyone together.

"We are getting...[insert dramatic pause here]...a PUPPY!!!"

[insert hysterical evil laugh here]

Spiros and I had practiced keeping straight faces in order to totally convince my mother that we were getting engaged and it worked. (Worked in the sense that I thought it was hilarious and she was disappointed.)

But we couldn't be more excited. As of next Sunday, we will be dog parents to this little muffin.

Everyone meet Franklin!

Yep, I'm Thankful

To be perfectly honest, I was sorta the opposite of a joy to be around this weekend. My mood swung a mighty berth between lethargic depression and rainy-day-induced-cabin-fever-mania. We were supposed to be moving. We were supposed to be getting settled. We are stuck! I'm never leaving this bed! Oh no, my favorite indoor "yoga pants" (haha pajama pants let's be real) got wet! MY LIFE IS OVER.

And then Spiros said the famous phrase, "Could you have imagined we'd be here this time last year?"

Of course I couldn't. No one could. It's totally and completely wonderfully insane how the past 12 months have turned out.

Specifically this time last year I was preparing to have Thanksgiving in Berlin. I spent that Thursday working, something that feels incredibly heartless and cruel even if you are in a country whose history doesn't involve stuffing, turkey, and pumpkin pies. Luckily my friend Ellen came to visit and we had a great time, but something about being so far away from home and family was hard, much harder than it had been when I was in New York.

This time last year I was depressed. I never thought I would meet someone who I would honestly love and who would honestly love me back. I also felt stuck in a lot of situations that I knew I was ready to move on from. That was the thing: I was ready. Ready for something great to happen.

And now here I am, a million miles closer to where I want to be. I'm not at the end goal yet, but I'm happy. So lucky and thrilled with where life has brought me. And beyond excited that Spiros and I will be spending Thanksgiving with my family.

But before we hop on a plane on Wednesday evening, we've gotten word that our stuff will be moved tomorrow. Things will be crazy, disorganized, and chaotic, but it's all coming together.

And, as a bonus, I'm pretty sure all of that energy burned will break even with the amount of food I'm going to devour. (Or, as a back up plan, I will bring my newly cleaned "yoga pants" with me to wear 24/7.)

I hope everyone else has a great Thanksgiving too, no matter where you are. And if you don't happen to be in the situation you want for yourself, always remember you have no idea where you'll be next year. 

P dot S: Here are a few recent pictures of things I'm thankful for:

Did I forget to tell you? I made friends with a turtle. His name is Moe.

Light At The End Of The Tunnel ...JK!

Hahahah just kidding! I took this beautiful, inspiring photo the other day in anticipation of the day we finally moved and all these loose end logistics were finally tied up, but I'm fairly certain that day will never come so I'm going to use it ironically today!

Since we found a place two weeks ago, I've put my (aggravating-because-I-don't-know-what-I-want-to-do-with-my-life) job search on hold to deal with a million and one things relating to the move. I've spent more time on the phone (something if you know me you know I hate) than I have in years, jamming out to some sweet hold music and getting disconnected so I can start the fun all over again! 

Yesterday I also got to spend some quality time at the DMV getting a California license and car title. (I really wanted to get "DOLO" vanity plates as an homage to my awesome grandma, but after spending an arm and a leg and two hours of my life to just change things over, I didn't do it. Worst story ever.)

And you know my out-of-control online shopping habit? Well now I'm having to beg delivery people to hold on to the stuff I've ordered that's being delivered weeks before they said it would since apparently the house still needs to be painted. What, now we don't know when we're getting our keys? Great! Who needs schedules!

I know, I know. First world problems, and honestly I have no room to complain because what else do I have to do with my time? But I still can't help but think about the episode of Seinfeld when Kramer gets an intern for his "Kramerica Industries" so he has more time to fulfill his genius ideas. I could totally use one of those right about now. I have ideas! 

Anyway, fingers crossed we're in and settled before 2013! Hooray optimism! 

Kids Are So Awkward.

This past weekend Spiros and I went to dinner at the home of one of his colleagues, a guy he'd worked with way back at his first job in London. It was nice meeting him and his wife, and it was also nice meeting his children.

A nice reminder we are nowhere near ready to have kids.

Within 10 seconds of walking in the door, the six year old daughter had latched herself to Spiros' leg. Within 20 seconds she was crawling INSIDE of my wrap sweater trying to figure out what in the world J.Crew had done to create such a confusing top. (In her defense, it is a weird sweater.)

And, within 30 seconds, she proceeded to rapid-fire interrogate us with questions that most strangers only WISH they had the balls to ask:

"Do you have any kids?"

"Are you pregnant now?"

"Why aren't you married?"

"When are you going to get married?"

"What are you doing? You're just dating?"

She's at that precious age where she's smart enough to form these questions in her head yet not quite with it enough to grasp their utter inappropriateness. A special time in a child's life. Obviously her parents were thrilled.

Almost more so than the time in Berlin when Spiros and I went to dinner with another colleague's family, and the four year old daughter told me that my steak tartare looked like something "you'd find in the toilet." (In her defense, that's a legit description.)

Ohhhh children. Such insightful little creatures.

Drive Down Memory Lane

I love to listen to music, but unless I'm in route somewhere, I rarely do. When I'm at home, more often than not, the TV is on. (I know, it's one of my weaknesses: I LOVE TV.)

Maybe it's because I own very little music compared to most people I know. When I was in elementary school I got Ace of Base for my discman (because who didn't have that as their first CD?), and a couple of others (Mariah Carey! TLC!), but that was that. I was just never a huge collector of music. Instead, I relied on the radio (and the kindness of Shawn and The BFF to make me mixed CDs). Then, in college I got an iPod that I filled with "borrowed" music. We lived a long, happy life together until it died a slow, agonizing death last summer before I went to Berlin.

Anyway, this long diatribe is just to say how happy I am to be reunited with music via the radio in my car. Because who listens to the radio except when in a car? No one, I'm fairly certain. And without a car for the past five years or so, I have listened to very little radio. So now I'm reunited with both, and honestly even though paying for car insurance and over $4 a gallon sucks (yeah, Texans, I said FOUR DOLLARS SO STOP YOUR COMPLAINING) I do quite love listening to the radio again.

Although Spiros has complained about the station options in LA and surrounding areas, I'll be honest I'm pretty happy. That's because we found a beautiful old-school easy listening station that plays the best of Middle School Dance music (aka 90s R&B aka the only music that really speaks to my soul) as well as other ballads that are like little time machines.

I'm sorry, I don't know about you, but I will never get sick of listening to Boyz II Men's sweet baritone angel voices serenade me with both singing and spoken word.

I'm assuming this video won all sorts of awards. 

Never forget...to turn on the radio.

Hoarder's Paradise

Remember when I said I had a problem? Well, it's reaching new levels. We don't get our keys until a week from tomorrow. Hopefully we can still see glimpses of the floor by then. (Or the stacks and piles don't tip over and suffocate us like those people on Hoarders. I never understood them until I became one of them :-/)

Who Would Have Guessed We'd End Up In Beverly Hills

On Sunday, Spiros and I headed down the Pacific Coast Highway toward LA. Near Malibu, we found ourselves driving next to three Lamborghinis. "Ugh, this place stinks of money. How can people show off like that?" Spiros complained. I reminded him we just signed a lease in Beverly Hills. We're blocks away from Rodeo Drive, the stinkiest of the stinkiest.

And I can't wait.

For starters, I love being the poorest person in my zip code. It makes me feel safe. Secondly, the house (well, technically it is a duplex) where we will be living was built in 1927. It makes me feel young. And last but not least, there are the most beautiful trees lining our street. Which makes me feel like we're living in Santa Barbara, which is akin to living the dream.

We fell in love with the place online last week. It's basically like online dating where you look at the pictures a million times, totally planning your life together. Who cares if she has a crappy personality, she is beautiful! Luckily she was just as charming as we'd hoped.

After hearing that we got it, we celebrated by doing some online shopping. (I am definitely a bad influence in this relationship.) It was also a good test to see if Spiros and I are compatible.

Anyone who loves this shower curtain as much as me and urged, "Buy it! Buy it!" has to be my soulmate.

I would link to it, but then my mother would know how much it cost and would yell at me.

So creepy, huh? I love it.

Anyway, we won't move in for a couple more weeks, but I'm just happy we know where we're going! And, bonus, the place has a separate guest room over the garage. So let us know when you're coming!

A Spooky Tale of Halloween Depression

Ever since I was little, I've loved Halloween. Coming up with a costume idea, crafting it myself, showing it off - all things I look forward to every year.

Except this year. I could not get excited about it. At all. And so it was the first year I did none of those things.

Blame it the perma-state of being unsettled (we applied for a pretty great apartment but didn't get it), the lack of Halloween-related opportunities (although we have made some new friends!), or the rabid case of PMS pumping through my veins (I swear the full moon made it worse). Either way, for the first time in my life, I just didn't care. 

Normally any such malaise is over come by peer pressure: everybody else is doing it! Get excited! Halloweeeeeeeeen! But this year my end of October newsfeed has been dedicated to documenting power outage updates (my heart breaks for east coast destruction) and puppy babies wearing cutesy costumes.

I would say less than 3% of my Facebook friends dressed slutty and got wasted this year. I mean, who am I? An adult with adult friends?

What is happening to the world?

P dot S: Spiros and I did watch Hocus Pocus, though, so Halloween wasn't officially boycotted. Phew. I knew you'd be worried something was really wrong.