the clouds are so low that I can see my breath

I´m not even sure what has all happened since I´ve been here.  I will try to recount events as well as I can... and I will go by the days.

Day 1 of arrival:

We arrived at about one in the morning...between Tuesday and Wednesday.  We were exhausted, but we were glad to be here.  Also, we were able to go to our landlord´s house, which is a stone´s throw away, to get our key.  She is one of the coolest people I´ve ever met.  ...and she´s HOT!  hahahaha.  But seriously, she´s wonderful.  We parked the Penske truck in our driveway, and Joel unloaded his car (meaning that he took it off the hitch so we could drive it a block away, it was still full of stuff, if I remember correctly).  We drove over to the Wildflandertin residence, at which point we slept for a few hours.

Day 2:

We woke up in the morning and headed back over to our place, where we started to unload.  Thankfully a couple of Joel´s friends were able to help (thank you for all of your help, Julian and Justin!).  Since they unpacked like men, I unpacked like a woman, and started putting things away.  We got some pizza, and the boys went to go ride their motorcycles.  I remained at home and put more stuff away.  I was very determined to have everything out of boxes before we went to bed that night.  Also, we realized that the couch that we had dragged all the way across the country would not fit into our place...so we now had another mission: couch find.

Day 3:  (I think this happened on day three anyway)

Aligator yum yum!

We did more housey things...I think???  and we went out to eat at a Louisiana-style restaurant.  We had aligator and other various things.  It was super delic, and we got to hang out with Julian, Yesenia (our landlord) and Jusin.  Julian graciously bought our meal for a ¨welcome to San Francisco¨ type thing.  It was very greatly appreciated.  

Day 4:  Friday.

We went out to a bar on Friday night.  ...we went to a bar the same night the earthquakes happened anyway.  ...and I´m farily certain that the events coincide sequentially with what happens in my brain.  Again, I´m not really sure when all of this happened.  I feel like I´ve been here for a few months already, and it hasn´t even been an entire week.  I´m just thankful that we are done driving.  The journey was arduous, but we endured.  Also, one of these days we went to get rid of the couch.  We forgot that Craigslist existed until we had already brought the thing to the dump and paid PAID twenty-nine dollars (AMERICAN!) to have it disposed of.  Fuck.  FUCK.

Day 5:  Saturday

We went to a party at some dude´s house.  It was all fun and lovely and such...until I became ¨that girl¨ and got all drunk and threw up off the balcony.  Ah.  Life.  I wasn´t sure I was going to make it.  I also got to meet some really great people that night.  ...and I even got a lap dance by the person whose birthday it was.  yay!  ...and I rode the Bart for the first time...actually, I got a little motion sickness on it (this was before I was schwasted).

Day 6:  Sunday

I was hungover.  I think we got our couch then. The roads here haven´t been terribly difficult to navigate, so it has all worked itself out pretty well.  It´s pretty much like the red couch I used to own (for those of you who remember the red couch) except a little shorter and a little fatter.  ...and WAY hunter green.  I´m so happy to be settling in.

Day 7:  Monday.

WE GOT RID OF THE PENSKE TRUCK!!!  NO MORE TRUCK!!!  I was happy to see it go.  Now we have a driveway to park in...we would have a garage, too, but it´s full of stuff and TWO motorcycles. ...I would like to take this moment to clarify that I, personally, own exactly zero motorcycles.  ...but I would love to learn how to ride them.




There are a few more things that have been happening, but I can´t remember when they happened.  We´ve gone to Ikea a couple of times...which is about five minutes from here.  I thought that we were SOOO close to everything in Cincy, but that´s NOTHING compared to the literally FIVE minutes we are away from literally everything.  It´s so convenient.  Everything here is so lush.  I´ll take more pictures soon and post them.  For now, no pictures.  I want everything to be in its place first.  THEN pictures will be taken.

Baba Ganoush.  Eaten at the middle eastern place.

Mr. Zach Wilder also helped me to experience some of the city.  He brought me bicycle shopping.  I´m not sure how I feel about owning a bicycle.  I´m certain that I haven´t ridden one since I was about ten... except for when he made me ride a couple to test them out.  I´m gonna think about that one for a bit.  ALSO, he showed me where a great middle eastern place is.  It was very yummy (thanks for the experience, Zach!)!

I feel very grateful to have a couple of people here who are willing to show me things and include me.  I owe them a lot.  They´re definitely making this move here a lot easier.  I just need to find a job now.  I´ve been looking.  If anyone knows anyone in the bay area.  ...you know.  I knit a mean scarf. ....or whatever.  Just, if you know someone, you should put in a good word.  It would be appreciated.

I remember joking with Joel before the move out here that I wish I could just pick a couple of songs and have a montage of the trip.  Now I feel like my memory of the journey is JUST that...a montage...with a few things that i remember...but I definitely felt like a pioneer...out on the Oregon Trail.

The Great Migration West...MANIFEST DESTINY!!!

Day 1:

We left on our journey yesterday morning.  We were showered, clean, and had rosy visions of how California would be.  Our spirits were up, and our caffeine intake levels were low, but we didn´t need any drugs to enhance our motivation to leave.

I´m really happy that we´ve had such good maps...not that anything has been diffcult, except for my trying to figure out the stupid toll roads (btw, FUCK YOU, OKLAHOMA!).  Joel drove SOOOOO far yesterday.  I think that today we might try a little bit differently.  Currently, we are in Elk City, Oklahoma.  I think we made it here around 4:00 AM local time (which is CT for those of you who aren´t familiar with time zones).

We have gone through a few cities so far...We left Cincinnati, and decided to go south, so our first city was (I think) Louisville, KY.  Next we drove through St Louis, MO which has the gateway to the west.  Although I´m fairly certain the Oregon Trail (after conducting a tiny bit of research) started in Independence, MO, and that we´re more on a ¨Grapes of Wrath¨ kind of trail, I still can´t help but thinking about the Oregon Trail and all of the little scenarios in it.  Oh gosh, childhood games that were full of learning.

We have also gone through Tulsa, Oklahoma City, and I think that´s it so far for major cities.  Our next stop is Amarillo, TX.  I´m really looking forward to seeing a few states that I haven´t seen in ages and places that I´ve never been.  You can definitely feel free to text either Joel or me, since we have a lot of time to do nothing.  Also, I´ve (hopefully) uploaded some pictures onto Facebook, so you can see our journey!  Also, I will try to be this ambitious tomorrow with more updates.  We´ll see how life goes.  Wish us luck, and whatnot.  

Last Week I Had the Strangest Dream, That Everything Was Exactly As It Seemed...

Ah today was Thanksgiving.  It was the first in memory where I didn't spend time with my nuclear family. I did not feel an ounce of stress.  I did not feel anything but relaxed excitement and contentment.  I am so immeasurably thankful to my gracious roommate who, along with his family, permitted me to spend quite possibly my favorite holiday with them.  Thanks to everyone who was there, even though none of you (save one) will ever even possibly read this.

I have been sick a bit lately.  I have found that this happens quite regularly, or at least more regularly than I'd like and I ought to just go see a licensed physician...Ah, and this is where I'll be vague.  I'm sure that I'm fine.  I was fine for a couple of days, but fuck.  I feel all just sore and tired and whiney again...just all sorts of uncomfortable.  Perhaps this would be a good weekend to stay in.  This reminds me of The Oregon Trail when people would get ailments and just rest for a day or two and then be right as rain.  If only it were so easy.  ...at least I don't have to worry about cholera or typhus.

I have not been practicing any languages or art or reading lately.  I am greatly bothered by this.  I have, however, been more social.  I guess that one justifies the other.  ...no, not really.  I am merely trying to make myself feel better about doing so.  There are so many books that I would like to read.  ...in fact I now have a few additional recommendations from the person who used to live here...and by here I mean in the same bedroom in which I now sleep.

I feel very odd about talking to this individual.  I'm not sure exactly what makes me uncomfortable.  I think that I feel kind of like Maurice in Beauty and the Beast...when Maurice is lost in the woods and find a castle and is being taken care of by the residents of the castle until the beast comes and puts him in the dungeon for trespassing.  There is no way that the former resident is a beast.  ...at least I assume not and have no real way of knowing.  I am just infinitely intrigued by someone who has left parts of their life here...parts which include memories and personal items.  This makes me also feel a little like an anthropologist.  ...hmmm...everyone who mutually knows this person (actually only one or two of the people who I have met and mutually know this person) have told me that my unsure and awkward feelings about this are all bollocks.  This is all probably true.  ...All the same.  I do delight in the fact that I'm almost certain that I will at some point meet this individual, and at once just be able to giggle at my intrigue.  If this happens, dear reader...I will be sure to tell you.

Also I would like to mention that I am finally...in such a "fuckit" mood that I'm ready to meet people.  ...throngs of people.  SCHOOLS (no children) of people...and, well, you get the idea.  I'm not super conscious of this...just becoming aware that my actions and behaviors (a little redundant) are reflecting such, and my mind thinks that it's a good idea to pursue such endeavors.  ...besides, I'm sure that my roommate would appreciate it if I beat other people sometimes, too.

And now, I must go...because I have a few goals to attain before the end of the year.  ...fuck new year's resolutions.  I'm making NOW goals.

Also.  The Walking Dead.  OOOOOOH god (<--if you're into that). SOOOOO GOOOOOD. I just wish that other people had read the series too.  but whatever.  fuckit.