I miss blogging! I have plenty of time to, but it's just not nearly as fun as when I have pictures to add. I'm hesitant to write too many blogs without pictures for fear of boring anyone who may read my blog... because, really, I don't enjoy reading lengthy blogs that are all words, all the time. I like seeing what's going on in other's lives as well as reading about them, so I assume that's the general consensus (yes - that was me putting myself and my ideas at the center of the universe. You're welcome).
Work is going well. I'm getting better at what I'm doing, which means I get more projects dropped on my desk each week. I don't mind really, but kind of want time to get ahead on my main projects now and then. On the bright side, more projects mean my boss trusts me even more, right? Heck - why am I asking you? There's only three of us in the office including the boss; I can tell he trusts me just fine (hmmm... I'm a little sassy tonight). We've started conducting a DJ workshop once a week which allows me to get several hours of overtime on a regular basis, which my bank account is grateful for. I think I'll specifically set aside the money that comes from overtime so I can pay off my student loan quicker. Or maybe I'll save it for something else... like the Mediterranean. We shall see. Either way, there's a lot of saving to be done.
I'm still looking for another roommate to share the master bedroom with me in my apartment; I've even moved all of my stuff away from that side of the room so it's ready for instant move-in. Now pray I can find someone soon so I can pay lower rent!
I bought a new pet fish (a betta)... I finally missed Lloyd enough that I had to do something about it. I still had all the fish stuff I needed, but I did spring for new rocks to put in the bottom of the bowl. My new fish is named Duberdicus (the Lusitanian god of water). He has a very fringy tail that is super awesome looking. The end of the tail is mainly red, then has a small white stripe before the blue fades in to the back end of his body; his head and face are kind of white. He's quite patriotic. And I love him! You should see him beg for treats when I get home from work - it's cute! The day I bought him I ate sushi for dinner... it seemed appropriately perverse.
....aaaand that's my life as of late. Happy Wednesday!
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Chronically-ill Camera
For about a year my camera had a hard time taking pictures. Funny, right? Since that's all a camera is supposed to do... Anyway, the shutter button (you may have to excuse my lack of camera vocabulary) was extremely tempermental - sometimes to the point where I'd give up and go without whatever picture I had just spent 5 minutes trying to capture.
Then, magically, it got better!
My camera was working perfect for several months and I was happy to share the miraculous story with whoever would listen. Then I went to my family reunion, saw cousins I hadn't seen in 10+ years, met all their cute kids, went to pull out my camera to take pictures of all of them.... and the lens cover-thing wouldn't open! The camera turns on fine, the zoom adjusts when I mess with it and I can access the menu and pictures on the memory card that already exist, but the darn thing wont open the cover of the lens. At all. Not for a charged battery or for my fingernails trying to pry it open manually.
I sure hope my camera gets better again.
Then, magically, it got better!
My camera was working perfect for several months and I was happy to share the miraculous story with whoever would listen. Then I went to my family reunion, saw cousins I hadn't seen in 10+ years, met all their cute kids, went to pull out my camera to take pictures of all of them.... and the lens cover-thing wouldn't open! The camera turns on fine, the zoom adjusts when I mess with it and I can access the menu and pictures on the memory card that already exist, but the darn thing wont open the cover of the lens. At all. Not for a charged battery or for my fingernails trying to pry it open manually.
I sure hope my camera gets better again.
Friday, August 20, 2010
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.
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.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Manhattan Beach
Meet the Carilli family.
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?).
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!
Sunday, August 1, 2010
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:
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:
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