My Life, As Told Between (Baby Cakes') Naps

Finding it hard to motivate myself to do much these days, including writing posts.  I think I’ll take a break until I’m more inspired to write.  I just can’t keep up this grueling 2 or 3 posts a month schedule.  =)  I’d like to blame it on the weather, but I live in LA and we’ve really only had a few fall days so far.  

I couldn’t let this month pass without a post though, since this month marks this blog’s 5th anniversary!  I can’t believe this blog has been around that long.  I started writing it not long after I moved to LA and started working.  Back then, I was sure LA would be temporary.  Like most of my northern Californian classmates, I didn’t particularly like this city when I was an undergrad.  I certainly never expected to move back, but when I realized I didn’t want to practice in NY after all and the opportunity came up to work in LA instead, I had to take it.  Now, 5 years later, it looks like I’ll be here for the foreseeable future.  Fortunately, I’ve found my little nitch in the city, one that runs right along the ocean.  Our condo is a 10 minute bike ride from the beach, my office building overlooks the ocean, and my running group meets steps away from the Santa Monica pier every week.

We had such a lovely Labor Day weekend.  Although we’d originally planned to visit my family in San Jose over the three day weekend – seriously, every phone call home starts with “When are you coming to visit?” nowadays – T had to work on Monday so we decided to stay in LA. 

The weekend started off with a good (albeit hot) 8 mile run with the Leggers on Saturday.  I’m really enjoying the challenge of running with a faster pace group.  Then T and I headed downtown to grab lunch at Kendall’s (we made the mistake of getting their french onion soup – ick) before seeing a matinee showing of the musical Spamalot.  I had been wanting to see it for ages and really enjoyed it, especially since we got $20 tickets the day of the showing instead of purchasing $90 tickets beforehand.  T, however, was a little disappointed because he remembered the source material much better than I did and felt the musical was too repetitive.

On Sunday, we went to a beach party in Long Beach.  The weather was perfect, sunny but not too hot.  The party was on the peninsula, in a protected enclave facing the bay.  The water was warm(ish) and peaceful.  We brought our canopy and beach chairs and enoyed the day with good food and friends.  It was relaxing.

Sunday night we met up with some other friends at a houseparty, where we continued to stuff ourselves silly.  Fortunately, on Monday, T and I headed to the gym after work and ran off some of the food we’d eaten!

And on a totally random note, I started using body butter daily years ago, after my littlest sis L pointed out that my skin resembled that of an alligator’s, and have recently discovered a new body butter which I love.  It’s cheaper than the body butter I usually get from The Body Shop, it’s thick and creamy, doesn’t feel greasy and smells great. 

I’ve been busy traveling the last two weekends and preparing for guests the next three weekends.  T and I were in SF for T’s cousin’s wedding in Golden Gate Park over Memorial Day weekend.  I, as usual, was drastically unprepared for the weather.  I have a knack for packing the exact opposite of what I’ll need on any given trip.   This time, it was much colder than the cool to slightly chilly weather I was expecting and the warm weather I was hoping for and packed for.

Weather aside, it was a great weekend.  The couple, who are both in med school and are self-proclaimed geeks, had so many sweet, personal touches to their wedding and the events surrounding it.  Their rehearsal dinner had a fun trivia game component.  Their ceremony involved the mixing of chemicals in a beaker.  Their reception was at a great organic, vegetarian restaurant overlooking the water.  Post-wedding activities included breakfast and a Giants game (they are huge fans).  It made me want to go back and do our wedding weekend all over again!  =)

This past weekend, I went to Cabo with the Quad for our 5th Annual Quad Trip. Since K is getting married in November, this year’s trip served a duel purpose as both a reunion trip and a bachelorette party.  I had a blast!  The weather was perfect.  Sunny with a nice warm breeze the whole weekend.  The girls got in Wednesday/Thursday and I arrived on Friday.  Although Cabo was less busy than during my previous visits (presumably because of fears over the Swine Flu and increased violence in Mexico), there were just enough people around for it to be festive without being overwhelming.  Plus, we discovered this wonderful, relatively secluded, beach which I’d never been to before.

This upcoming weekend, T’s high school friends are coming to town and staying with us.  Then T’s mom is stopping by the following weekend on the way to T’s triplet cousins’ high school graduation.*  And then one of T’s best friends from college is getting married in LA and many of T’s college friends are staying over.  The next month will be a whirlwind but I’m looking forward to seeing everyone!   (Although the prospect of having that many visitors in the next few weeks really makes me wish we’d actually gotten around to painting/decorating our place and hiring someone to clear our place, as we’ve been discussing for months!)

* Sadly, I have to miss our HLS birthday weekend/reunion in Virginia this weekend!  =(  Unfortunately, it’s just too many trips in too short a span (we’re also going to NY for a wedding in July).  I hope you girls have a wonderful time and will fill me in on your adventures!

Went to the UCLA game Saturday with a bunch of T’s college friends who were visting from out of town. I’m not much of one for football – I brought a book, which I finished during the game – but it was a beautiful day and I had a great time just hanging out. I even hear we (UCLA) won. =) Afterwards, we ate at Hurry Curry, which was super yummy!

T and I tested our hosting skills by having everyone over at our place for most of the weekend. Lack of seating aside, I think it went pretty smoothly. We even managed, with the much appreciated help of a couple of his friends, to prepare breakfast for eight on Sunday morning!

Between the game and the race in Santa Monica taking over my usual running route, I didn’t make it for my long run this weekend and instead settled for doing 4.5 miles at the gym Sunday morning, which did not put a dent in the massive amount of food I’d consumed over the weekend. Fortunately, after breakfast, and some more football watching, we went biking. It was the first time we’d gone biking since we’d moved. The bike path and beach were relatively empty and the weather was perfect. It was the great way to end the weekend.

Can’t believe the end of summer is coming up so quickly! I remember when I was little, summers used to last forever. Even when I was in law school, summers had substance to them. They stood apart from the rest of the year, which was marked by studying and classes and winter dreariness. Nowadays, summer’s just another season (especially in LA, when it’s pretty much summer year round), marked only by more kids crowding the beaches than usual and my increasing resentment at the interlopers on “my” beaches. (When did I turn into such a Scrooge?)

This past weekend really felt like summer to me, probably because we spent Sunday at Hermosa Beach playing volleyball with some of T’s friends (well, T played, I watched and socialized and ate), followed by a barbeque at my friend’s place in Marina Del Rey. Poor T got a sunburn on his back, specifically in the area I was responsible for – high on his back, between his shoulder blades. I feel especially bad because I’m very paranoid about sunblock generally, but am apparently not particularly careful in its application when its on someone besides myself!

This week has gone by fairly quickly. Work’s been busy, but not brutal and I’m trying to wade through the homebuying process. I’ve also been gathering decorating ideas, buying books on housekeeping, and contemplating cooking regularly. We’ll see if I actually execute any of these things. I don’t know why I think I’m going to turn into some kind of domestic goddess with this purchase, but I’m living in the realm of delusions and possibilities at the moment.

Oh, and I read Blink, which was a fun, interesting read.

Saturday morning, I slept through my alarm and woke up too late to meet up with friends for our 13 mile run. Although I debated staying in bed, I eventually forced myself out of it, haunted by visions of the cheeesecake I had consumed the night before. The solitary run turned out to be exactly what I needed. I haven’t gone on a long run outdoors by myself in months. It was nice to be out early in the morning with nothing to do but focus on my music and the pavement beneath my feet.

After the run, T and I finally got to go for a somewhat extended bike ride. We biked down LA’s southern bike path, which stretches along the Ocean all the way to Redondo Beach. It was exhilarating. The sourthern path is much more desolate than the northern route, which takes you through tourist laden Venice and Santa Monica.

Ever since I’ve moved to the west side, I’ve increasing felt the need to be one of those outdoorsy people I use to semi-loathe. It’s hard not to when the weather’s so nice and the Ocean’s so accessible. Plus, everyone else is doing it. There are people biking, running, surfing, sailing, swimming, etc. everywhere you look around here! Unfortunately, between my fear of water and my poor hand-eye coordination, I think running and biking pretty much exhaust my options. . .

Found out yesterday that a good friend of mine from law school recently moved from NY to Virginia.  Another good friend recently moved from DC to SF.  It looks like the Frog is going to the East coast this summer and Roomie is moving to Berkeley this fall.  I however am staying put for awhile.  After all, I really can’t change jobs again any time soon.  Three different firms in my first two years of practice probably looks suspicious enough! 

Funny, after I graduated from UCLA in 2000, LA was the last place I thought I’d find myself living.  Yet, six and a half years later, here I am.  And it looks like I may be here to stay, for awhile at least.  I used to make fun of one of my best friends from high school for never quite managing to leave LA despite a professed desire to do so after graduating from UCLA.  I never thought I’d BE her!

Anyways, things are good.  Not much new to report.  Having some friends over for the Superbowl this Sunday.  Not that I really watch football, but I do enjoy eating and socializing and this is as good an excuse as any.  I haven’t decided which team to root for, but I’m leaning towards the Colts… 

T and I are celebrating our one year anniversary next weekend.  We’re going to see Wicked.  With his brother.  And his mom.  Yes, after insisting we do something to celebrate the occasion (I don’t really do celebrations, so this was totally T’s call), T promptly forgets the actual date of the anniversary (despite my lack of desire to celebrate said event, I am still a girl and therefore knew the exact date) and invites his mom and brother to see Wicked that night when he was offered some tickets.  Boys.  I guess I should just be thankful I was invited as well!  =)

Oh – one last complaint – I woke up this morning feeling fatter than I’ve felt in ages!  Maybe it’s because I’ve missed the last two long runs (an 18 miler and 12 miler) due to illness and being out of town.  Maybe it’s the entire box of See’s candy I consumed this past weekend.  Maybe it’s the fact that the heater has caused all my clothes to shrink (a possibility suggested by a friend of mine).  Whatever it is, it has to stop.  As of today, I vow never to eat an entire one pound box of See’s candy in a weekend again!

I vaguely remember being interesting.  You know, reading stuff and watching shows and occasionally even doing stuff?  It’s dawned on me recently that I can’t remember the last time I sat down and read a quality book (well, I recently finished the first book in a science fiction/fantasy series Roomie sent me from the UK, but that doesn’t count).  Or the last time I read the newspaper.  Or the last time I volunteered for a good cause.  Sad. 

On the other hand, I’m much more informed about celebrity gossip and fashion that I’ve ever been before.  Even sadder.

I promise to become more interesting.  Really.  I mean it this time!

I blame living in LA a bit and work a lot (as always).  Still swamped.  Took my first deposition this week.*  I was thrown a curveball, but it went better than expected overall.**  I think.  In any case, I’m glad I survived! 

* For my non-lawyer friends, taking a deposition means you arrange for a court reporter to be present while you ask a “witness” (anyone who might have information pertaining to the case) questions.  The witness is usually represented by counsel, who is defending the deposition (making objections and whatnot).  The witness is usually affiliated with the other party but can sometimes be an uninterested third party. 

** At least I think the phrase is “thrown a curveball.”  Whatever.  Basically, I was surprised.

To start, I love this dress (slip?) by Luisa Beccaria.  I have no idea how one would actually get away with wearing it, but it’s absolutely gorgeous.

Also, while I was (very briefly and primarily window) shopping yesterday, a woman behind me exclaimed, “Wow, what a great bag!”  Hoping she was talking to me, I turned around.  Turns out she was a bag designer and loved the bag I was carrying!  She even asked to take a picture of it.  I love random compliments from strangers on my purses.  =) 

As T noted, it could very well have been the highlight of my day… had it not been for the super fantastic birthday dinner I had with some amazing people later that night.  Thanks again all.  And special thanks to the Frog for suggesting and organizing it.  I’ve amassed (stolen?) a fantastic group of friends in LA.  They’re a kind, generous, hilarious, gregarious, witty and wonderful bunch of people.  I love you guys.  Despite the pain that is turning 28, it’s been a really good year and I’m looking forward to the next one. 

And to all my non-LA located friends (who are equally stellar), I missed you and wish you all could have been there.  I love you all too. 

Since a couple of my blogging friends have posted about summer’s approach, I thought I’d jump on the bandwagon. 

Summers used to mean three months of easy living.  Growing up, it was three months of bugging the parents and being a little bored.  In high school and college, it was three months of easy part time work.  In law school, it was three months of wining and dining by one’s summer firm.  Now, sadly, it’s just another three months. 

On the other hand, I’m finding that working makes me enjoy and anticipate the summer moments that much more, rather than just taking them for granted.  So in the spirit of anticipation, here’s a list of some of the things I want to do this summer…

• Lounge in Cabo. 
• Go on my first summer hike.
• Rent a beach house with my Quad friends.
• Brunch along the marina instead of just running by it, tired and sweaty!
• Have a picnic.
• Run another race.
• Attend many afternoon tea services as fancy hotels.
• Go to an outdoor concert or play.
• Visit Catalina Island.
• Spend another day at Disneyland.
• Go kayaking.
• Vegas anyone? 

I’m taking applications for a social coordinator to arrange all these things if anyone’s interested.  It doesn’t pay anything, but you get to hang out with me!  =)

I haven’t written anything beyond a superficial entry in entirely too long.  The Frog’s frequently thoughtful, reflective posts have inspired me to write one (or at least attempt to).  So this is it – a brief look into the state of my life at the moment.

I can’t believe I graduated from law school almost two years ago and have been living and working in Los Angeles for a year and a half now.  I realized recently that I’m growing comfortable in this city.  It almost feels like home.  I’ve made new friends, reconnected with old ones, made career connections and picked up a hobby.  I have an actual apartment and not a dorm, a savings account comprised of more than student loans, a nice office with a great view.  I feel more settled than I have in years, maybe ever.  That restlessly itch to pack up and move somewhere, anywhere has passed and I can see myself here for a few more years.  Maybe indefinitely.  I’m sad but resigned to seeing my friends from northern California infrequently and my friends on the East Coast virtually not at all.  It’s weird – this sense of complacency.  I never imagined I’d feel it in this foreign city when I was an undergraduate at UCLA.  But I do. 

Yes, LA is still brutal in many respects.  The hard water’s still drying out my hair.  The smog still makes me break out.  The air’s still drying out my eyes.  The traffic still drives me crazy.  I still feel fat here.  But I’m adjusting.  Filter for the shower.  Different cleanser and moisturizer.  Drops for my eyes.  Music for the endless hours spent in my car.  Acceptance that while I will never been super thin, I’m thin enough.

There are definitely things I’d like to change about the state of my life, but I don’t think that lingering feeling will ever really go away.  I don’t think it does for anyone.  On the whole, I’m good.  Things are good.  Thanks for asking.  And for reading.     

(I didn’t mean this to be a smug post about how great my life is.  There’s plenty that’s not great.  I just wanted to take a moment to remind myself that overall, I’m happy.  That overall, I shouldn’t let the not so great things get in the way of that.)

Guy:  [*innocently*]  I think the waitressess have to be anorexic to work here.  They’re all way too thin.

Girl:  Really?  I think they look great.

Guy:  No.  They’re scary thin.  It’s really unattractive.

Girl:  [*accusingly*] You like fat women, don’t you?

Guy:  [*dumbfoundedly*] Huh?

Girl:  You think I’m fat, don’t you?

Guy:  HUH?

Girl:  I don’t want to talk about this anymore.

Guy: ? 

Note to readers:  For the sake of protecting the irrational, I’m leaving out any identifying information.  =)  Let’s just say this is Every Girl.

T:  What do you want to do tonight?

Me:  I don’t know.  What do you want to do?

T:  It’s Saturday night.  (*pause*) Maybe we should go out or something…

Me:  (*pause*)  Um, sure.

T:  Any ideas where you want to go?

Me:  I guess we could go out in Hermosa.  I hate going out in LA and all the bars around here are a little more dressed up than I feel like being tonight.

T:  Okay, sounds good.

[An hour later.  Have driven to Hermosa and circled looking for parking for what feels like a million years, but was actually probably 10 minutes.]

Me:  Sorry, I forgot what a pain parking is this late.  (*sigh*)  I really wish we’d just ordered a pizza and stayed in tonight.

T:  Yeah, that would have been perfect.

Me:  Wait – I thought you wanted to go out tonight?

T:  No, I LOVE staying in.  I thought YOU wanted to go out!

Me:  Seriously?  I’d like nothing better than to rent a video and order some pizza.  Wanna head back? 

T:  Oh, thank god.  I was afraid we’d actually have to go out tonight!

Me:  Me too.  Looks like we dodged the bullet on that one.  Well, technically, we’re in the vicinity of the bars.  That’s almost like we went, right?

T:  Um, sure.

My friends and I call our friend DJS (whom I adore – just in case you’re reading this DJS!) “The Grump” sometimes.  When he’s tired, you can almost see the clouds forming over his head and the mope lines settle across his face.

I’ve been feeling a bit like The Grump the last week or so.  I’m normally a very upbeat person, I fear irritatingly so sometimes.  For the last several months, I’ve surprised even myself by bounding out of bed at six every morning excited about going to the gym.  This morning, I had to drag myself out of bed and only managed to do so after a very stern talking to.

The Frog thinks it might be the weather.  It’s been abnormally cold for Los Angeles and I think I’m suffering from a bit of seasonal depression, which is extremely odd because (a) it hasn’t been that bad, (b) it hasn’t been “bad” for long, (c) there have been several really nice days between the “bad” days, and (d) (as the Frog astutely pointed out), I freaking lived in Boston – aka Bad Weather, USA – for three years and was (relatively) fine.

You know you’re a spoiled Californian when…

It rained rather heavily last night – the biggest storm so far this winter.  Of course, it actually only rained for about five hours and the sun’s back up and shining this morning.  Still, LA was apparently devastated by the torrential downpour yesterday, judging by the fact that every single traffic light between my apartment and the office (a six mile stretch) was wiped out.  Police officers swarmed the streets trying to maintain order.  Where traffic is concerned, LA is always poised on the edge of anarchy. 

I swear, if Armageddon hits, this city is the first to go – unless Armageddon is accompanied by lots of sunshine and warm weather (which, what with all the talk of global warming, is a distinct possibility).  

I’m feeling human again.  After a crazy week, SP told me to take off insanely early on Friday (I got orders to leave at 11am, although I stuck around until 3pm) and not to work this weekend because she was worried I was stretching myself too thin and was too much of a trooper to tell her.  She then called my office five minutes later to tell me, in case she hadn’t made it embarrassingly clear during the team meeting, that I had done a fantastic job.  JP ran into my Roomie at the office this weekend and informed her she’s in charge of making sure I didn’t sneak into the office against orders.  I really love these people.  =) 

Slept the sleep of the dead most of the day Friday.  Spent Saturday at a block party in Manhanttan Beach within a few feet of the beach.  The block party was the quintessential SoCal summer experience.  A great reggae band, an abundance of beer, plenty of sunshine and fantastic friends.*  I was not nearly cool enough to be there.  Luckily, I was shielded by super-cool friends, kept my sunglasses on, mumbled that I did “law stuff,” and smiled enough to fool everyone.  =)  For all that I complain about SoCal, it has its good points.  Saturday was definitely one of them.  Thanks all!**

*G, since KQ, KA, ML and I were all there and you were not, we’ve assigned KQ the task of harrassing you to (a) post more and (b) organize our dinner.  There is to be much finger shaking and general nagging until these two tasks are accomplished.

**I realize this post is sadly lacking in sharp, satirical comments and for that I apologize.  I’m feeling much too relaxed and rested to post anything but warm and fuzzies today.  *Hugs all around*

I’ve had a weird experience the last couple of weeks – I’ve been driving home while it’s still sunny outside.  It’s discerning to say the least.  A confluence of factors has brought this about.  For one thing, summer’s finally rolling around and June Gloom is finally wearing off.  I realize that Californians, at least those not living in the fog-filled depths of San Francisco and Berkeley, are horribly spoiled when it comes to weather.  If it’s not 100% perfect 100% of the time, I feel perfectly justified in complaining (after all, there has to be a reason a one bedroom condo can cost close to $1 million dollars around here, right?).  The second reason is that there’s a brief respite at work.  Rather than staying until ten every night and working weekends, I have a perfectly balanced workload with a manageable amount of work to keep me busy for a reasonable amount of time during the day.  So of course, instead of working at a reasonable pace, I’m doing nothing, billing nothing, creating a deficit of hours, and consequently using up my “vacation” time on Coffee Bean runs and chit chat.  What’s wrong with me?!

And just so this post isn’t completely about me whining, this play sounds interesting.  It might dovetail nicely into this book that I’ve been reading forever now.  I think if I stop starting other books in between chapters of it, I might finish it sometime soon.  Oh, and I recently received one of those emails filled with pictures of adorable, fluffy, baby animals, complete with a saccharine message about friendship.  I’d post it here, but (a) I don’t know how, (b) I’m afraid it’ll ruin my reputation as a hard-nosed pragmatist, and (c) I didn’t want to overwhelm anyone with that much cuteness without adequate warning.  =)  Let me know if you want a copy. 

[UPDATE:  Scratch that, rush assignment, due Monday.]

1) The wave. As anyone will tell attest to (with very little prompting), I’m not a particularly good driver. I’m not horrible, but I get lost easier then most, I don’t always pay as much attention as I should, and I hate surprises. In my defense however, I strive to be a very considerate driver. To the extent I can reasonably do so, I let other people into my lane. I signal. I don’t tailgate. I WAVE when someone slows down to let me into their lane. If anything, I over-wave. I wave it if looks like the thought at least crossed their mind that they should have slowed down to let me in. Or if they would have slowed down if they weren’t already a safe ten miles behind me. Ocean aside, I have not seen a single wave in the eight months I’ve lived in LA. Really, would it kill people to acknowledge other drivers? (I assume the same fear causes people not to use their turn signals in LA.)

2) Electricity. I live in a rather densly populated area of LA and the electricity only occasionally functions in our area. According to my roommate, it’s out again and has been long enough to turn all of my food to mush and necessitate an emergency run to the grocery store on my way home from work. I don’t know what people in my neighborhood are doing all day that sucks up all of my electricity, but I sure wish they would stop it.

Summer’s approaching and I’m getting antsy.  Something’s been bothering me for the last couple of weeks and it’s slowly dawning on me that what’s bothering me is the fact that it’s almost May and I don’t have plans to move anytime soon.  This is it.  I’m here permanently.  At least for the foreseeable future. 

Over the last eight years, I’ve lived in a succession of dorm rooms and apartments, spanning six different cities, covering both coasts and one other country.  Towards the end of law school, I was getting tired of the constant upheaval and uprooting (even though it was self-imposed) and slowly coming to regret accepting my job offer in New York.  Aside from the horrendous stories I had heard about being a New York big firm lawyer, I knew that I wouldn’t be there for long.  California would always be home for me.  I spent much of my third year shivering and plotting ways to get back to California (well, thinking about it anyways – “plotting” may be too proactive a word).  As luck would have it, there was an unexpected opening in the LA office of my firm and I was thrilled to get the call last summer to make the switch (unfortunately, this also reinforced my belief that if I do nothing, things will work out).  Now, after having been back in California for almost a year, my wanderlust is starting to act up again and I’m pondering what cities I want to try out next.  It’s funny, I’ve always known I was going to settle down in California, and thought I was ready for that after I finished law school, but now I’m not so sure.  Even if I were to settle in California, it wouldn’t be in LA.  At the same time, I love the people I work with and am getting so much mentorship and training, I’d be an idiot to leave anytime soon.  I guess I have to start being an adult at some point, right?