the joy of parking

in an unusual turn of events, i got to be home for most of the month of march. i'm always happy to have time in my own bed, snuggles with the pup, having a life (or trying to) that doesn't include work in every minute of every day.  and it was particularly good to be home this time, because it resulted in securing a guaranteed parking space.

the beauty and wonder of this can only truly be understood by one who has had to live with street parking, and what that means.  ...turning down invitations or leaving events and outings early in order to make sure you have a chance at a spot when you return.  walking blocks in the rain without an umbrella because it's southern california and it's not supposed to rain.  and getting to know the neighbors... or at least their particular brand of "oooooohhhh, mama. you lookin' fine today!" catalls.

turns out we have a neighbor (not of the cat-calling variety) around the corner who we hadn't met before.  it's unfortunate because our meeting was monumental.  turns out, he owns three of the houses in our little neighborhood and had two parking spots available that he would rent to us.  needless to say, we locked that down.

parking and commuting have been my only two complaints since moving to long beach.  there's nothing to be done about the commute (other than find a new job) but it is amazing the power of the parking space.  knowing i can come and go as needed, buy all my groceries in one trip since i don't have to carry it very far. accept any social invitation i like, stay at events as long as i like...it's perfectly wonderful!

mardi gras

my department had a potluck to celebrate mardi gras.  holy smokes was it good.  maybe the best potluck i've ever been a part of.  it unintentionally took on a southern theme with pulled pork sliders, mac and cheese, fried chicken, crack corn (the new name for my cream cheese corn concoction), cole slaw, sausage balls, etc.

i was truly impressed with my co-workers' culinary endeavors, and, as my tastebuds did one happy dance after another, i couldn't help but be grateful for such an awesome, drama-free team.

engineering prints

i can't help but love all of the amazing ideas and solutions on that great reservoir of creativity that we call pinterest!

when i moved into the new place, i had a heck of a time trying to decide what to do with all of the wall space above the head of my bed.  i scoured said reservoir and there were some amazing ideas... a headboard made of open books (turned to personally relevant pages), lots of great vinyl art, string-light cutout confections, maps (i love maps). but even though i loved a LOT of these ideas, and they even seemed to represent me accurately, i simply couldn't decide.

enter pier 1 and their stinkin' good sales!  i happened along some faux window frames for 60% off, and i made the first decision.  i liked that these were imminently changeable.  i could use the lovely panes for just about anything... photos, miniaturized maps, book pages or quotes, etcetera. the flexibility was mind boggling.  so much so, that i put them up on the wall, and they remained empty window frames for about four months.  clearly, i have commitment issues.

then, after arriving home from vegas, and going through my usual unpacking, re-organizing routine, i looked at the empty frames and thought 'hey! those family photos we took at christmas might look pretty good up there!' so i took some measurements, but i knew i wanted one photo per frame (NOT pane) and i wasn't sure exactly how the faces and bodies would line up.  i was hesitant to spend $45 to have the two photos blown up and printed without being sure.

then, the magic happened.  i recalled a post (probably on pinterest) about engineering prints, and i googled. turns out, staples will print these over sized documents for a pittance.  they are black and only (which is exactly what i wanted) and not typically meant for photos, so the quality isn't the same as a photo print would be.  but i was kind of going for a 'shabbier' version anyway.  i placed my order online, was called 15 minutes later to be told i could pick them up, headed to staples where i paid my $4.57 and brought them home.  yes, $4.57 instead of $45, and they are exactly what i wanted.

i did run into some placement issues, but the way it worked out, family members
that are partially 'cut' in one frame are totally visible in the other, and vice versa.  and ultimately, it's exactly the feel i was going for.  now, i'm just trying to figure out what else i can have made into engineering prints!

vegas

i don't know how much more i can say about vegas.  i feel like i've 'been there, done that' so many times that it's getting a little old. but i'll give it a shot.

i had a lot of mixed emotions going into this conference.  a staffing upset just two weeks before my departure had left me and other members of my team scrambling into problem solving mode, and the outcome left us all feeling a little shaken.  so, in addition to my normal 'fear and loathing' i felt a trepidation i've not experienced in a very long time in a professional setting.  and yet, i was really excited to see melissa, katherine, the bulgarian, and my freeman cousins!

so before i set out on the four hour drive, i decided that i had done everything within my power to fix what was broken and i began the process of letting it go.  that process moved much more quickly once i arrived, when i headed directly to the exhibit hall to check-in on things and to deliver my special valentine's goodies.

i have discovered about myself that i am not naturally service oriented.  i am always so appreciative to be the recipient -- in any context, but when i am the 'giver' it is with a very conscious effort.

in the last several months, i feel like i've finally settled into california. i don't know why it took me seven+ years, and it's not in my long term plan to stay here, but since being shaken from my 'routine' of the last five years, i feel more at ease here.  and, as a result, i find that i am becoming a little more...me.  i've cooked more in the last six months than i have in the last 10 years.  i find that i am more aware of others, more naturally inclined to want to do nice things. i feel more creative than i have in a long long time.  and i think being here in long beach gives me the freedom to engage in social activities or to power down when needed without feeling like i 'should' be doing this or that.

all that to say that i have recently had a number of occasions to be reminded how gratifying it can be to

exercise intended thoughtfulness.  in this case, most of my exhibit team had been on the road for nearly four straight weeks with other clients at other shows.  i knew they would all be tired and missing home, so even though i didn't arrive until the 15th, i took the opportunity valentine's day provided to show my appreciation with some 'made in my kitchen' baked goods.  their reactions were, i suspect, of greater benefit to me than my gifts were to them. which was a nice way to kick things off, since it would be a very long few days.

6 days in vegas feels like double that in most other cities, and not in the good way.  just the walk from my room to the exhibit hall is enough to drain me for the rest of the day, but that's just the beginning of the exhaustion.  fortunately, some of my favorite people were in attendance at this conference.  i got to spend my evenings with melissa, katherine (who i introduced to serendipity's famous frozen hot chocolate), emil, and of course, my cousins. they all managed to keep me sane in their own unique ways, and that went a long way to taking edge off my least favorite city.

all in all, the event was a success. more than i would have dared to hope.  and the best part? only one more (very) quick trip to vegas next month before i can write the city off for another year!

valentines

for my colleagues  

individual oreo pudding cakes

for my roommate

self-explanatory :D

for me

mani/pedi & eyelash extensions