Full-Time-Ness

Just before I went to New York this summer I had an interview for a full-time job. It went VERY well. Turned out I was a perfect fit for the job and, according to some, the most qualified person that had ever been in the position at the company. It also turned out that it was a great fit for me as the job almost perfectly blends both what I majored and minored in in college; giving me practical event/coordination experience in the world of entertainment. I think I was given this job through divine power solely because I needed something in my life to be going right - I had made the decision to move to California even though I hadn't received answers to my prayers, and was REALLY struggling there for a while. No friends, no place to live, no job... no matter how much job searching and socializing I attempted I still just felt like an unwanted lump of - something. This move is definitely in my top 2 most difficult moves of my life - not sure which was more of a challenge.

Anyway, that's not what this post is really about. The point is, I now have a full-time job. Big deal, right? I should've experienced several of those by now. Yet... I haven't. This is my first. Of course, I'm not counting my 18 month mission (it was service, not a job), or school (even when I was taking 18 credits a semester I wasn't putting 40 hours a week in to it - including class time). I don't even count doing a combination of activities that totalled more than 40 hours a week as if I was working full time- like my last semester of school where I was taking 15 credits and 1 institute class, had 1 part-time job and 2 internships, was on the college's scholarship board, was in the Relief Society presidency of my ward and served as a temple worker, and considered myself lucky if I had enough time to go grocery shopping or do my my laundry that week. Why don't I count it? Because they are DIFFERENT things!

Now, look at my job. Or any full-time job. What was this week's schedule like? Is it comparable to last week's schedule? Or next weeks? Probably. Granted, you may not do exactly the same thing every week, but the tasks are generally the same. This is weird for me. I show up to work at the same time Monday-Friday. I have Saturdays and Sundays off. I check in equipment, follow up with employees and clients, prepare upcoming event folders, coordinate meetings, read emails, prepare invoices, update calendars, create playlists, check out equipment... Rinse, repeat.

Spontaneous vacations? Nope.
A day to sleep in? Not if I want to do something with my Saturdays.

I like my job and the other employees in my office; I'm really grateful for a regular paycheck. Yet I miss being able to do whatever I want when I want. It's just the transition to full-time-ness that's the hard part. It's going to take some getting used to.

Manhattan Beach

Meet the Carilli family.

These are wonderful people who have become like a second family to me. The first year and a half I lived in Las Vegas I had relatives only a few miles away who would take care of me if ever/whenever I needed help. During my last two years in Las Vegas I didn't have any close family within a couple of hours drive. Then I met Penny. We quickly became friends, and not long after that I was invited to Sunday dinner with her family. It felt like home. Pretty soon the Sunday dinners were a regular occurance, and I was considered one of the family. When I moved away from Las Vegas I was sad that I wouldn't be able to see them very often.

Lucky for me the Carilli's decided to take a week-long vacation to Disneyland, and knowing that I now have a full time job and no play money (yet), offered to come visit me. We met up in the parking lot of my office just as I got off work, and had a fun evening exploring Manhattan Beach.

Although the sun was hiding behind the haze we spread out some blankets and things to create a picnic spot and ate our dinner before walking along the ocean for a bit, watching Suzi chase the gulls, and John trying to run circles around his dad (can you tell everyone was freezing?).

We then headed down to the pier for some hot chocolate, and a gander at their miniature aquarium...

Where Suzi was attacked by a shark. Don't worry - if you mess with Italians, they'll mess you up!

While small, the aquarium had a good critter collection - and there was even a touch pool! You couldn't touch these critters though:

Even if they wanted to say "Hi."

I'm grateful that the Carilli's came to spend their Monday night of vacation with their 'daughter.' Happy Family Home Evening!

Hollywood Forever Cemetary

"Founded in 1899, Hollywood Forever Cemetery is the resting place of hundreds of Hollywood’s greatest stars. Recently refurbished to its original splendor, the cemetery attracts visitors from all over the world. Yet it is also an active cemetery and funeral home." (hollywoodforever.com)

This cemetary is very cool. If anyone knows me very well they know that I actually enjoy cemetaries; they are incredibly peaceful. Now, I'd never sneak into one by myself at midnight when the fog's rolling in... because, again, if you know me very well you know I can't handle scary things. AT ALL. I cut scary movies out of my life more than five years ago and have never once reconsidered that decision. Anyhow, going to a cemetary at night with a group of friends to watch an old Gary Cooper black and white western flick - that's another story!


Before the movie started I wandered around to get some pictures of the AWESOME tombstones, etc. I'm pretty much convinced that every person buried here came from a family that's loaded. See for yourself: