Jungle Living

I thought I was moving to the big city, NOT a jungle. Somebody LIED to me.

I'm laying in bed the other night reading, minding my damn business, thinking I'm ALONE, and I see movement out of the corner of my eye. There is a mutant bug skittering across my bed, from up behind my head and shoulders, down the sheet. It's basically just cruising the length of my body. I jump up, terrified, and I'm doing the cliched girl oh-my-god-there's-a-big-scary-bug dance. It stops on my comforter, so I creep around it (shocking how much space it takes up when you add in the ick bubble surrounding it) grab a shoe, try to squash it but it gets away. Fucker.

Now I'm standing there, frozen, unable to get back on my bed knowing that it's hiding underneath. Let me paint you a picture of this wretched creature so you can truly understand my fear. It basically looks like a mutant hybrid of a giant roach and a centipede. And it has antennae. The nuclear monstrosity is about the size of my damn pinky. I know that seems small, but hold up your pinky. Seriously, right now. I'll wait.... SEE?! It looked like a small rodent. AND IT WAS IN MY BED.

I spend some time trying to find it, to no avail. I lay back down, tense as all hell. I try to focus on my book, but my eyes keep sweeping my bed for alien movement and I keep kicking and rattling the covers to ensure it doesn't try to come back and cuddle.

Thankfully, my closest friends are endlessly supportive:
Rachael: Oh yeah. They just luuuuurve that bagel shop!
Tom: I hear they're like pets out there. Make sure you feed it!

Thanks, buttheads.

Finally I see it! It's crawling up the wall... Slowly. It really is an ugly little bastard. I WISH I has thought to take a picture, but instead I react purely on instinct and grab my shoe. Die, bitch!

I actually still need to wipe the guts off my wall.

UPDATE: With the help of a couple friends, I've managed to identify the creature. It's a house centipede. Do you now understand my terror?

Exploration FAIL.

No joke. On Saturday, Rachael and I attempt to head to Park Slope. We make it about one full block, spot a sign for unlimited Bellini's, look at each other and walk inside. I think we sat posted at that bar for approximately 5 hours. I'm not kidding. One of the best days I've had in a long time, just being with my best friend, drinking and making friends with the bartenders. And taking "artistic" pictures with our phones. Man, I love this woman!

My New Block!!!

This is what I see when I walk outside (and from my room).

Now I'm in Neewww Yooooorrrk!

ImhereImhereImhereImhere!!!

Rachael shows up and I'm literally still in bed sleeping off the flu I caught before I left. (My mom got it too... I don't think it was food poisoning). We head out, and I really don't know know much, except I'm dying to see the Brooklyn Bridge! So we start that way, and I'm either quiet, or I randomly burst out with something along the lines of "I'm so excited you're here!" or "I can't believe I'm here!!" I know she'll get sick of this, but for now she smiles excitedly.

I'm completely hypnotized my downtown Brooklyn. It's so... humbling. There's so much going on, and the buildings are so grandiose. I know that's very 'duh', but there's a 3 story limit in Santa Barbara! I'm not accustomed to height like this. (First pic is downtown Brooklyn)


We walk over the Brooklyn Bridge, and into the Financial District in Downtown Manhattan. We wander a bit, and Rachael shows me some cool places I might want to come back and visit. She tells me about TKTS, which is a place where you can find discounted Broadway tickets for that night. We buy 40% off tickets to a show she's dying to see, Next To Normal (more about tat later) and head to Seaport. There we end up finding some nail place and get a mani-pedi. Hey, a girls gotta look good!!

We head home to get ready for the play, and then head back into Manhattan towards Time Square. Thank goodness she's so familiar with the city, because I get all turned around with the subways. I follow dutifully and try to look like I belong. I can't WAIT to possess her confidence with the trains.

Next To Normal is phenomenal. Seriously... If you ever get the chance to see it, take it. It's very dark and somewhat disturbing, but I found myself laughing out loud more than once. I'm not going to go into it too much, but it's a very real drama about a family, focusing on a mother's battle with bipolar disorder. And it's a musical. Rachael and I don't sit together, which I was initially a little weary of, but once the show started, I was SO entranced that I didn't even notice that I didn't know the person next to me.

I thought I wanted to wander around Times Square and maybe have a drink, but as soon as I was there, all I wanted to do was get home. It's a gigantic blinking strip mall. I did not move to NYC to eat at a Friday's. It's very much tourist central. I did take a pic of the pretty lights, but I doubt I'll be back without a very specific purpose.


And this is only my first day :)

Wrapping Up in CA

This is it. Home stretch. Going away party #4 on Saturday night (3/27)... Yes, #4. People really want me to leave!

There was an incident the morning of my party that I won't get into graphic detail about, because it is quite graphic. My mom's pug, Roxy, was injured badly and had to be rushed to the emergency vet's office. As in, driving over 70 down Hancock, where the speed limit is 45. Oops. The dog is fine and recovering beautifully, BTW.

The party itself was a HUGE success. My mom put tons of prep work into it, and it paid off. My entire family showed up (except one of my aunts, but it wasn't the least bit of a shock... no one expected her to anyway. That's another blog post altogether) and it rocked. I got to see my Aunt Janet, Uncle Robb, and my cousins Dustin and Cory all of whom I haven't seen in going on 5 years. It really completed the whole day!! I also got to meet both of their amazing girlfriends, and they've all promised to come visit :)

Plus I made a pyramid with my family. Of us. Yup, true story.


I spent the next couple of days with my fam, just hanging out and enjoying them. Lots of dinners at local places I won't see again for awhile. Cuddling with my dog :)

The night before I left I went to a really awesome dinner with Lacey, and had a fabulous time. Then I went home to pack the remainder of my suitcase. I went to bed, expecting to wake up and head up to the airport.

WRONG.

I woke up about 2 hours later and spent the rest of the night with my head in the toilet. I could not stop throwing up. I got up the next morning and still wasn't well, but had no choice but to suck it up, finish packing, and get in the car. It was hands down the most miserable ride EVER. I took Pepto, only to see it reappear a short time later. I was so wiped out and exhausted I couldn't even feel emotion when I should have been feeling all kinds of things.

After a couple runs to the airport bathroom, I was faced with the goodbye with my mother. I was doing ok, and then all of a sudden I started bawling. I had been dreading that moment more than any other. We were both standing there sobbing like fools, and she watched me walk through security. Every time I turned back, she was still standing there waving with tears running down her face. It was absolutely heart wrenching.

The flight was miserable. And that's an understatement. I took some Dramamine and sat with and air sickness bag in my lap. I was picking out Vitamin water at the airport, I wasn't even looking at the flavors; I was trying to decide what color I wanted my puke to be next. Rough.

I also went to bed the first night at 6pm PST. And slept for 14 hours.

Goodbye, Santa Barbara :(

I'm obviously very behind and I have LOTSSSS of catching up to do, so I'm going to post this entry as if I haven't left CA yet. Go with it.

Wednesday, I had my last day at work. It was too busy to be super emotional, as I had a TON to wrap up. My [former] boss, Mike took me out to lunch to say goodbye. It was so surreal packing up my desk. I can't even imagine the void Janet is staring at day after day :(

Thursday, I sold my car. THAT was tough. I reallyreallyreallyreallyreally loved my car. The buyers made it SO easy for me, which I am eternally grateful for. She let me drive it home (to drop me off) and I just kept touching it. I stood in the doorway, my throat a little tight, watching my baby drive away. On the upside, I paid off my car loan IN CASH. That felt good. I also no longer have to deal with car payments, insurance, gas, oil changes, parking tickets, registration, ect anymore.

Thursday night I have to say goodbye to Tom. It was really emotional. It really was the last piece of my SB life falling apart. I love that man so hard. We had a lot of fun having sushi and drinking sake and forcing him to take cleaning supplies because he lives with Toe. I kept it together really well until the very very end, but as soon as I went to hug him, I lost it. I just started bawling. He made me laugh a few times by reminding me of all the things I never have to deal with again, and all the useless people I never have to hang out with again. Other than people I work with, I see him the most. We hang out multiple times a week and I don't know how to not have him around. I think that will be one of my biggest adjustments.

Friday, I have to leave my apartment. My brother drove up to help me move, and his help was invaluable. I was far too busy to be at all emotional about leaving. My empty apartment was a sight to see, after three years of residency.

After turning in my apartment keys, I had a Farewell Lunch with my coworkers! It was so awesome to see everyone in the same place one last time. Plus, they all pitched in to get me a 12 swim punch card at a pool near my new place!! I am so so excited! Swimming is my most effective way of blowing off stress, and I undoubtedly have plenty of that in my future with potential job rejection and homesickness. I could not have asked for a more perfect gift. Janet snaked out before either of us could get emotional, and I'm not sure if I'm grateful or regretful. Why create an unnecessarily dramatic scene right? I really didn't want to face that goodbye. I spent 40 hours a week with that woman and she will leave a gaping void.

Driving away from SB was tough. I was pressed up against the passenger window (thank goodness my brother was driving!) watching Santa Barbara disappear behind me with tears streaming down my face. This place was my home and my sanctuary for 5.5 years. I grew up so much here. I huge part of who I am now can be attributed to the friends I've made, and experiences I've had. I definitely left a chunk of my heart in Santa Barbara.