Greetings From Milwaukee

I feel like I have so much to write about since it has been several days since my last post. I am out of town for work and on a short break from the training class I am attending, so I don't have much time. Of course, I was able to find a computer with Internet access so I get to write a quick post.

Staying in hotels is brutal. Why did I get stuck in the room next to the elevator? I tried to make a good responsible choice last night by staying in instead of going out. Jokes on me. I was unable to sleep due to the frequent use of the elevator outside of my door. Annoying!

Don't take a vegetarian to a Brazilian stakehouse. Man, what an experience I had at our group dinner last night. Waiters walked around serving giant hunks of various meats. I have never been bothered by the sight of cuts of beef, chicken or lamb but that changed very quickly last night. Why do restaurants always serve the vegetarian some nasty pasta? Come on, don't I deserve a glorious meal just like the meat eaters?

On a positive note, I am learning a ton of great things about my new role. I am even more excited to start coaching and developing reps in our office. My dad is driving up to Milwaukee today so we can hang out before I fly back to LA. I am so excited for some quality time with my dad!!!!

I'll be in touch later with more updates from the last week. I have to talk about our recent visitors, how comments can make or break your day and the joys of flying. As always life is fabulous! Back to learning!

Mindless Eating

Why do we eat when we are bored?

This week I am attending a training class for work. I am observing the class structure and the quality of the presenters. In a few months, I will actually be coordinating these training classes, so this is a great experience for me. I should clarify my opening questions. Not that the class material is borning, it's that I am constantly sitting which is not a good thing for an active, social person like me.

The classes start at 7:30am and go until 5:00pm. Thank goodness for Starbucks in our building! I feel like I am constantly eating during class. It is so frustrating to be hungry all day. I think it is just because I am not interacting with other people or moving around. When did sitting and listening become associated with wanting to snack?

Of course, the logical solution would be to increase working out to compensate for the additional calorie intake. Not gonna happen. When that early am alarm goes off, the chances of me snoozing are pretty high. I am lucky if I get out of bed in time for a decent cardio session.

There are a few things saving me...
1). I gave up sweets for lent, so I have not been gorging on Cold Stone Creamery the last few weeks. (I am a disciplined person. When I put my mind to something...watch out!)
2). I am only in training for 2 more days this week, but I have training next week too :(
3). I try to inhale healthy snacks (I gotta cut the Starbucks lattes though).
4). I never carry cash, so I can't be tempted by the office vending machine (believe me Peanut M&Ms...hello temptation...see #1 double motivation to avoid the chocolate covered candies)
4). My wedding dress is already ordered in a size that fits me perfectly!

I clearly could not take a job that requires me to stay put in my cube all day long. I would go crazy and would gain about 50 pounds.

Pedicure Etiquette

I decided to treat myself to a pedicure on Saturday. Even though I need to watch my pennies since Joe and I are paying for the wedding, I figured I could get a pedicure since I don't buy gas weekly. I have filled up twice since moving to LA (major perk of walking to work!). Furthermore, I needed to go to the South Bay yesterday to pick up my alterations and there is a great little nail place in Manhattan Beach, so getting a pedicure fit very nicely into my plans. I quickly browsed through a Glamour to learn the latest nail polish shades and headed to the salon. I spotted one of the colors I saw in the magazine, so I asked if they had any of that shade for sale (I can make my pedi last longer with touch-ups if I own the polish. Plus, I don't have any spring shades of polish). I settled into my massaging chair and dunked my feet into the water. The nail technician showed me a price list and tried in her best broken English to explain to me the various options. Slightly confused that the $25 pedicure I got last time I was at the salon was not on the list, I hesitantly selected one of the advanced options (she successfully up sold me!). I did the math in my head and realized that with the deluxe pedi, tip and new nail polish my little treat was going to cost me $50 (Oh No!). I snuggled back in my seat, opened my book and tried to enjoy the expensive experience. The deluxe pedi  was awesome. It involved some wax like stuff in plastic bags and warm towels (definitely worth the extra money). I was so into my book that I didn't even realize my pedi was over. I glanced down at my toes and my heart sank. The color was such a disappointment. Way too light. I handed the technician my card and waited patiently in the seat secretly hoping I didn't have to buy the polish I once lusted for. I got my receipt to sign and I was not charged for the polish (relief), but there was no line for me to add a tip. I asked the technician and she told me they don't add in tip (who doesn't add a place for a tip). I signed the receipt and looked in my wallet for cash and only had $1. I gave her the dollar and sulked in the seat embarrassed that I did not tip her properly for the job she did. I wanted to run from the salon, but knew I needed to sit under the florescent lights to let my pedi dry. Despite being extremely embarrassed about the tip situation, I sat way longer than necessary. I was only a few pages away from finishing I Was Told There'd Be Cake and the satisfaction that would  come from finishing book #9 of the year outweighed my embarrassment. I finished the book, but I guess I need to find another place to get a pedi. I am probably blacklisted from this place for not tipping and not buying the polish. If you know of any good places in downtown LA please let me know. 

Just A Day At The Office

When Joe and I were discussing a move to California I was hesitant, because I did not want to give up what I thought was the best job in the world. I had autonomy, worked on a variety of projects, made great friends in the office and wrote my own job description for my position. It does not get much better than that, or so I thought.

When we moved to LA I was able to stay with my company. I have been making some friends in my new office (I do miss my old work buddies) and have started to dabble into a variety of projects. I am truly excited about jumping into a new role in the organization for the growth experience. I won’t get to write my job description, but there is talk of revising the role to include some marketing and community relations activities (score!). Yesterday I attended a management meeting and fell in love with my new office.

One of the things that I enjoy most about my company is that you can interact with top-level management all of the time. (Successful people surround themselves with other successful people!) There seems to be an open-door policy that exists in offices across the country. I don’t think this kind of openness exists at many companies.

At the management meeting our managing partner (top dog at the office) spoke to the group. This was the first time I had the chance to interact with our MP for more than a few brief minutes. I was completely blown away. I left the meeting feeling inspired and ready to make an impact in this office. I also felt like I was working in the right place (everything happens for a reason, right?). I value both personal and professional growth. You will understand why I feel like I belong in this office after reading the points below.

I wanted to share with you some of my MP’s philosophies and perspectives, because they made a huge impact on me. These are not his exact words, because I am not that fast of a note taker, but some sayings are pretty darn close.
•Your internal self-image needs to be in touch with how others see you, in other words do your actions align with your values and intent)
• Struggles in life help you grow. Analyze your struggles to learn from them.
• Disgust with where you are in your life is the greatest motivator to move forward and grow.
• Mediocracy is a slow boil.
• You have to overcome fears to achieve.
• When faced when an adversity think of the toughest thing you have ever accomplished. When you compare the current adversity to the toughest thing you have ever accomplished it won’t seem so bad.
• Being emotional and open about struggles can help inspire others. Talking about struggles shows your humanity and can help others share their struggles.
• If you want to inspire someone help them develop. (My new role is to be the Director of Training & Development. Pretty neat!)
• The greatest compliment we can pay to another person is to listen. (Might need to work on this one. I sometimes get so excited to share my thoughts that I stop listening.)
• Being thoughtful in life comes with a higher price. You have to understand how other people think.
• Experience teaches all lessons.

I hope some of these points help you as you strive to move forward in this life. Go inspire someone!

Denim…Not the Fabric of My Life

I volunteered to help the current Director of Training & Development move some training material out of a storage closet at work. She suggested that we wear jeans instead of business clothes to move the material. As soon as I heard the word jeans I cringed. Am I the only woman who despises jeans? I have never been a fan of jeans. I find them very binding and they always ride up in inappropriate places (come on I can’t be the only person that thinks this about America’s most beloved pant). If I wear jeans I can’t sit still and I am constantly moving around trying to find a comfortable seated position. Don’t even think about wearing jeans out to dinner if you plan to actually eat. They always seem to create a muffin top once you consume the tiniest morsel of food.

I have tried so hard to become a jeans lover. Each season Express sells a new cut and I get suckered into purchasing another pair of jeans with the hope that the new pair will fit differently. I persuade myself in the dressing room that the baggy cut, slim cut, editor cut or relaxed cut contours my body and that I’ll wear the new pair all the time. Wrong! I have 8 pairs of barely worn jeans stacked in my closet (and I got rid of several pairs before the move). Among the stack are Citizens of Humanity, Sevens and skinny jeans from a designer boutique out here in So Cal. I have clearly invested both time and money in my search for the perfect jean. I am convinced it doesn’t exist.

What’s a girl to do? I have found relief in leggings. Thank you 80s for leggings (you can keep the crimped hair, acid wash jeans and obnoxious neon colored clothes)! Leggings are comfy and can be dressed up or down. My favorite combo is a sweater dress (I think I will have to pack these away out here in LA really soon…what a shame that it is getting warm), leggings and boots.

I would love to know that I am not alone. If you have been harboring bad feelings about denim let me know. It is ok to let your true feelings come out. Some of you may have been pretending to love jeans when deep down you really hate them too. It feels good to rebel against the norm!

Also, let me know if you have recovered from jeans hatred. I don’t believe a great pair exists, but since I am a shopping addict I am willing to continue the search. If you have found an amazing pair let me know. I’ll justify buying them as research for my blog.

The Little Things In Life

This morning I went to Starbucks to get a little pick me up before attending an all day orientation day at work. Starbucks had Café Verona, which is my favorite coffee they make (perhaps it was the luck of the Irish). I was thrilled to discover my favorite coffee this morning (St. Louis stores stopped serving Verona when the company started brewing Pike Place on a daily basis) and ordered myself a venti. An emotion passed through my body as the barista handed me my giant caffeine fix. I was extremely happy about my coffee. It became very obvious to me that I find the little things in life extremely delightful. I honestly think I am genuinely happy (to the point where people sometimes ask if I am ever not happy. It is very rare and poor Joe is usually the one who experiences me in unhappy moods. Sorry babe!) because I recognize and appreciate the little things.

I started to think about the other things today that made me happy. My bright green round-toe pumps and green scarf definitely made me happy. Given that I am quite a bit Irish, I had to wear something green for St. Patty’s Day. I spruced up a boring black suit and white shirt with my festive, vibrant accessories.

This evening after the orientation I moved out of my cubicle and into an office. I have never been so excited to have an office. I can't stop staring out my window. The view from the 34th floor in downtown LA is wicked! I feel respected and appreciated as an employee by having an office (employers take note...how you treat employees has a huge impact on their overall satisfaction with the organization). I also can't wait to decorate and add some personal flair to my new space (after all I think you spend more hours at work than you do in your own home). Definitely a little thing (some of you might argue that getting an office is more like a huge thing, but I had to stay consistent with today's theme) to be very excited about!

We get so caught up in the daily to-dos and with our commitments that we sometimes forget to appreciate the little things in life. When you truly appreciate something as small as a favorite cup of coffee or fabulous accessories, it can brighten your day. When you are happy, you pass that happiness onto others. I encourage you to think about the little things in life that make you smile, and when you are fortunate enough to experience those things truly embrace the moment.

Must Have Mentors

I can not even begin to describe to you how important it is to give back and volunteer (I'll save this for another post). When you get involved in a non-for-profit organization you meet amazing people. I am very active with the Arthritis Foundation. I am on the Executive Committee for the LA Walk and I recently joined the Marketing & Communications Advisory Committee. I am gearing up to Chair the 2010 LA Walk.

I recently met with the VP of Marketing & Communications for the Arthritis Foundation. I think that meeting with people of such high caliber is imperative for career success (I would not have had the chance to meet the VP if I was not a volunteer). I firmly believe that if you want to be successful you need to surround yourself with other successful people. I asked the VP of Marketing & Communications how she got to where she is in her career. I am always interested in ways to propel my career to the next level. She told me she couldn't have done it without the help of mentors.

I wanted to share this vital piece of advice with my readers. It makes sense. We all need a support system with people that will lift us up and help us succeed.

I asked the VP of Marketing & Communications to be one of my mentors and she agreed. I have a wonderful PR mentor in St. Louis. We developed a strong professional relationship by working together on both company projects and non-for-profit projects. I frequently email my PR mentor to get his opinions and ask him questions. No question is too small to ask a mentor.

I enjoy having a group of mentors because they are cheerleaders for your success. I hope that one day I can mentor a young woman starting out in her career. After all, one of the best things in life is giving.

Sjobeck Show

Last night I attended my first (and definitely not my last) fashion show. One of my friends from work invited me to join her and her girlfriends at the show, and there was no way I was turning down this invite. The girls went to college with one of Sjobeck's designers, which meant we were on a list to get into the show. We were escorted through the VIP line and I felt very important walking in front of the sponsor board. I was quickly slapped with a huge dose of reality when none of the photographers asked us to pose for a picture. Oh well! I was at a fashion show at the LA Theater. I stood in the lobby trying to take in all of the scenes. I watched the diverse crowd of people file into the venue. Everything goes at a fashion show. Some women dressed in uber-chic outfits while others dressed for the club. I even saw some guy wearing a cape and costume makeup...very random. When the staff finally opened the doors to the theater I was awestruck. The flashing lights, thumping music, crowds of people and cluster of photographers jammed into the small media area made for an intensely exciting scene. When the show started and the first model pranced down the stage I sat wide-eyed and excited like a child on Christmas who just discovered Santa's loot. There were only 5 models in the show and I could not believe how quickly they changed outfits. We saw dresses, jeans and hoodies, skirts and tops and denim vests. The line had a Native American vibe and I absolutely feel in love with one of the dresses. The entire experience fueled my desire to someday work in the fashion industry. I fell asleep last night while visions of turquoise jewels, slouchy boots and flannel print danced in my head.

Cycle Mania

One of my favorite things to do on the weekend is to go to the gym and ride a spinning bike without a class. I have tried some of the LA classes and they do not fit my style. I would rather just ride my own ride. This morning I made a new play list to get jazzed up for my ride and I thought I would share it with you. When it comes to cycling I tend to use alternative and classic rock (you might need to borrow your parents’ I Tunes for some of the songs on this list). I find it much easier to zone out to this genre of music (maybe it has something to do with all of the drugs classic rock artist used and wrote about).

Enjoy the ride!

Boston – Augustana (warm-up)
Right Now - Van Halen (rolling hills)
Use Somebody - Kings Of Leon
This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race - Fall Out Boy (climb in 3 then sit in the saddle for the chorus)
Here (In Your Arms) - Hellogoodbye
Not an Addict - K's Choice (I am not an advocate of the lyrics, but the beat is perfect for a steep hill climb)
Bad Moon Rising - Creedence Clear Water Evival
Go - Moby
4 Minutes (feat. Justin Timberlake & Timbaland) – Madonna (jumps)
Carry On Wayward Son - Kansas
Lay Down - O.A.R.
You Really Got Me - The Kinks
Right Round - Flo Rida
Riding The Storm Out - REO Speedwagon (This song rocks! I used it in a spin class and completely zoned out. I was high on endorphins. Use caution if you use this in a class with elderly people. They do not appreciate the intensity of this song. After riding this song I looked up at the class and saw the elderly people covering their ears and shaking their heads in disproval…opps!)
Tom Sawyer - Rush
Touch Of Gray - Grateful Dead

Cougars, Errands, And Books Oh My!

Weekend Review!
On Friday, a colleague invited me to a happy hour at the Edison. The Edison is by far the most amazing bar I have ever seen. It is an old power plant turned into a glamorous, jaw dropping, 20’s inspired bar. The Edison is responding to the nation’s economic crisis by hosting a soup kitchen (they serve free cups of tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches) and offering $0.35 cocktails (the recession priced cocktail was bourbon, sweet & sour, and pomegranate juice…no thanks) on Friday nights. After having a few cocktails and mingling with some of the other happy hour guests, I walked home (major perk of living in the city) to get ready for a night out with another colleague.

Much later in the night I met up with one of our reps and his girlfriend. We went to the Standard, which is quickly becoming one of my favorite spots in downtown LA. The Standard is a hotel with a fabulous rooftop bar. You can sip on $15 cocktails while being surrounded by all of the high-rise buildings in downtown. You will never be disappointed by simply sitting back and watching people out on the dance floor. The cougars were on the prowl Friday night at the Standard. My colleague’s girlfriend and I got a good laugh at one woman who was getting down (literally) on the dance floor. She was busting out moves from a rap video in her white pants and blue strip button down shirt. After scoping out the scene we decided to bust a few moves ourselves. One goofball who was wearing white shoes and jumping around like a piece of popcorn learned over and told me we were a lot of like (if this was his version of a pick-up line someone needs to help this guy out). Sorry to burst your bubble buddy, but I doubt it. I tend to keep my dance moves confined to my personal space (unless I am doing the Roger Rabbit or dancing to Baby Got Back). I continuously had to watch out for popcorn dancer because you never knew where he would pop up at next. I did not want to get injured on the dance floor.

Another guy asked me when I would let him see his kids. Excuse me!? Normally I would walk right by a guy who mumbles something so degrading, but I stopped to talk to this guy because I had never heard anything so outrageous. The guys in this city have a lot of nerve when interacting with women (my guess is a lot of them remain single for a very long time).

When my colleague’s girlfriend and I were dancing by ourselves we got cornered by two guys trying to dance up on us. Sorry dudes, but we were not interested when one of you tried to dance with us, so what makes you think we will now suddenly become interested in two sleaze balls with moustaches? We quickly escaped the dance floor! Clearly, the men at the Standard are not watching Bravo’s TV show Millionaire Matchmaker. The guys on this dating show at least show some class when courting women.

On Saturday, I slept in much later than usual (the hour time change time really threw off my weekly schedule). When I finally woke up, I stayed in bed to and finished reading another book (new found guilty pleasure). Are You There Vodka, It’s Me Chelsea is hilarious (maybe because the author is a comedian). 

After wasting away the entire morning I decided to be productive. I ventured down to the South Bay to run some errands and spend some time by the ocean (good for the soul). I had lunch at Whole Foods, which happened to be next to a Borders. I stopped in before lunch and bought two new books. I am now reading I Was Told There’s Be Cake by Sloane Crosley (I’ll keep you posted on the book. So far so good!).

I fixed myself a giant salad at Whole Foods and headed to the self-checkout in a very hungry and excited state. I walked up to the self-checkout machine and the attendant who watches over all of the self-checkout machines asked me if I knew what I was doing. Very confidently I responded, “Yes!” I scanned my first item with ease and went to enter in the numbers for my apple. This is where the fight broke out. The machine started to yell at me to place the item back on the scanner, remove the item from the scanner and then seek help from the attendant. The attendant appeared and I tried to make a joke about wrongly stating my self-checkout expertise. He didn’t find me humorous. Apparently, I was supposed to enter in a 9 before the 4-digit apple code, because that apple was organic. I was at Whole Foods, isn’t everything in the store organic? I got the apple scanned and moved onto my roll. There was not a button for a roll, so I selected self-serve pastry (they both come form the bakery was my logic) and the item rang up at $1.99. Opps. I selected the wrong item. Rolls are only $0.99 not $1.99. I tried to hit a back button and then the machine started to yell at me again. By now my patience was wearing very thin. The attendant appeared again, and I tried to explain to him what I did. A simple void item would have solved the problem, but I think the attendant was more confused than the machine. By now, I have caused a giant backup in the line. I am annoyed because I want to eat and that the machine is not programmed to think the way I do. When the attendant started fumbling around with my pastry bag, he sent me over the edge. I have this phobia about germs and my food. He had no business opening the bag. All he needed to do was work his magic attendant powers and void the item. At this point I was on pins and needles (Aristotle said patience is a virtue. I guess I am not a very virtuous person.) and finally explode when the attendant couldn’t figure out how to void the roll. I grabbed my lunch and stormed over to a human checker. I realize that I caused this issue by not putting in the right codes, but come on shouldn’t the attendant know how to void an item? Why do these self-checkout things even exist? I was through the human line before the attendant had even fixed the self-checkout I screwed up. This whole episode could have been avoided if I was not asked about knowing how to use the machine. Karma slapped me in the face. I plan to go to the human checkers from now on.

After loosing a battle to the self-checkout machine, I dropped off alterations at a great little shop that one of my colleagues told me about (proof that it is best to ask the locals where to go). When I was getting measured, a women in the shop raved about the bridesmaid gown I was wearing (I can’t wait to tell the bride she picked out a great dress). I then hit up Target for life’s essentials (laundry soap, toothpaste and Wheat Thins) and noticed that things have gotten much more expensive. Is it just LA or have prices gone up everywhere? I spent the next hour and a half in therapy (clearly I needed it given my lack of patience at Whole Foods). I walked along the beach. Being so close to the ocean is relaxing. All of life’s problems and worries simply wash away with the waves. I saw a group of people having a baby shower on the beach. My bridal party is welcome to stay in our 680 square foot apartment, so we can have a shower on the beach :) I sat in traffic driving back to the city (shocker) but I remained calm (I developed a small amount of patience while at the beach). 

My Saturday night was very low-key. I made some dinner, watched a recorded episode of The Office (what would we do without DVR?) and went to bed before 11pm. This is the second week in a row that I have stayed in on a Saturday night. Back in St. Louis I would have been miserable staying in on a weekend night. I guess I have become much more independent living out in LA away from all of my friends and family. Or maybe I am getting older and my idea of a good weekend is filled with working out, reading and relaxing. Perhaps, I just don't have a very large social circle (more than likely the cause of my boring Saturday nights). 

I filled my day today with the usual Sunday activities: reading, working out and blogging. Tonight I am going to a fashion show. So excited! I'll let you know how it goes. 

OMG...as I am sitting in the lobby writing this post a woman dressed as Cinderella just walked in. Full sparkly blue costume. Wow! Never a dull moment in this city.

Don't Feed The Office Workers

I went to lunch with a colleague today at this little Italian place down the street from our office. I fully intended to order the soup and salad. They have the best Italian Chop salad and their soup is purely vegetarian. My colleague mentioned a fatal word while examining the menu, pizza. Oh no! Pizza is one of my favorite foods. Immediately my taste buds started swirling with anticipating, my mouth started to water and my stomach growled for a big lunch. Quickly dismissing my sensible choice of soup and salad, I proclaimed that I would split a pizza. I still ordered a half salad and nibbled on the bread (this place has the most amazing Rosemary focaccia). Finally the waiter brought the decadent dish. I quickly downed a couple of slices. Yum! I ate a third and was content.

I prayed for the waiter to remove the remaining pizza. I have absolutely no portion control. If the food is in front of me I’ll eat it. My prayers went unanswered (probably because this place has great food and horrible service). I debated back and forth in my head about eating another slice. I tried to assess my hunger level (clearly I have no hunger levels…either starving or stuffed) while staying focused on the conversation. I couldn’t take it anymore, so I caved and gave it. I went for another piece.

We paid the bill, walked back to the office and then it hit me like a ton of bricks. Food coma. I was stuffed, no more like Thanksgiving Day overstuffed. I was so full all I wanted to do was put on a pair of sweatpants and lay on the couch. I learned a valuable lesson today…avoid big lunches. There is a reason I don’t usually eat big lunches. I think restaurants should be banned from serving big lunches and employers should fully support the ban. A food coma does not induce productivity; in fact it induces sleepy, blah feelings of uncomfortableness. There were times in the afternoon when I considered crawling into a ball under my desk for a little nap. Due to the fact that I like my job and want to remain employed I refrained from napping. Plus, no career woman ever got to the top of the ladder by taking naps at work. (Maybe I should move to Europe where nap time is a normal part of the day.) Next time, I am sticking with soup and salad.

Everything Happens For A Reason

The theme for this week must be energy. I am starting to believe that how you start your week (either in a positive frame of mind or negative) will determine how the rest of your week will unfold. Yesterday, I had a meeting scheduled with a rep first thing in the morning to discuss marketing. I wasn’t looking forward to the meeting, because I would rather start my day hammering away at my to-do list. The morning hours are my most productive hours of the day. The meeting ended up going well and I think I showed this rep some valuable techniques. I didn’t expect to feel inspired by this rep. We had a great conversation about getting involved in organizations. He is active in some area chambers of commerce and on a board for an upcoming charitable event. He told me that he goes into these organizations in order to make a difference, not to focus on getting sales. I connected with this rep because he understands the importance of giving unselfishly.

I had a meeting with our recruiter later in the day to discuss advertising. I almost feel out of my chair when she talked about her recruiting philosophies and how she believes that everything happens for a reason. Many of my friends and family members have heard me say those same words many times. I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. You might not know the reason at the exact time, but if you stay positive and remain open to possibilities the reason will appear.
I feel that I am in the right place. When I moved to LA, I was not sure how things would go at my new job. Things are going better than I expected and I am lucky to be surrounded with other positive people.
Last night I attended the Arthritis Foundation’s Walk Kick-Off party. I was extremely involved with the Arthritis Foundation in St. Louis. I am excited to be working with the organization again. Giving back to the community is extremely important to me. I believe that you have to give to get.

I spoke at last night’s event and shared with the group tips for fundraising. I prepared some notes and had them on the podium. When I got to the podium my notes were gone. I think another speaker must have accidentally picked them up. Slight panic attack! I took a deep breath and just started talking. I shared with the group why I was passionate about the Arthritis Foundation (did you know that kids get Arthritis?) and told them all of the tips I could remember. I know I missed some of my points, but who cares. I feel like I spoke with energy and enthusiasm. Without my sheet of notes, I was able to maintain eye contact with the group instead of looking down and trying to figure out what to say next. Everything happens for a reason. A few people told me that they were energized after my talk and I saw quite a few people leaving the room with the walk material I promoted during my talk.
Energy is contagious. If you are in a positive mood, your positive energy transfers to those around you. I encourage you to surround yourself with positive people. Negative people simply bring you down.

I had a friend ask me what websites I visit for daily inspiration. My answer…none. I am fortunate enough to have something within me that allows me to see the glass half-full (unless it is a great cabernet or pomegranate martini, because those glasses are always half-empty!). If you know of any good inspirational or uplifting websites, please let me know. I would love to pass along the information to my friend.

Nerd Alert

As promised...the first post under Fabulous Reading

On Sunday, I finished reading another book. I love the feeling I get when I finish reading a book. A feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction. A little personal indulgence. But, the best part is deciding what to read next.

I have not always been an avid reader. In undergrad I could not understand why my roommates would read books for fun. I barley even read my text books for class. In graduate school I was forced to read in order to survive. In theories class we read a new book every other week. I read through hundreds of articles for various papers. After reading so much about the history of communication and the theories of the discipline, I needed to read something fun, fluffy and exciting. Thus, my love for chic-lit developed. I immersed myself into the world of reading for fun slowly. I started off with books like 4 Blondes and Everyone Worth Knowing. I would read a few each year. Now I am up to a few a month. I can't devour books fast enough. I am like a kid on Halloween with a sugar high.

My passion for reading coincides nicely with my shopping addiction. I love to buy books. (I really should try borrowing. I walk by the LA library every day.) There is just something about actually owning books. I think your book shelves say a lot about who you are as a person and the books on those shelves create a personal history of your life.

I am going for a record breaking reading year (It helps when you have a lot of personal time. I was not working my first two weeks in LA, so I spent every morning at a coffee shop). Please don't judge me as a reader purely on my list below. I promise I have thought provoking books on my shelves. I have great inspirational books (such as The Go Giver by Bob Burg). I also have several books directed towards working women (from my graduate school thesis on women and work family balance). I have quite a few books that talk about succeeding in your career (I am climbing to the top of my ladder. No glass ceiling for this woman!). It just seems that I have been in the mood to read a lot of chic-lit, nonfiction and humor lately.

So far this year I have finsihed:
Celebutantes - Amanda Goldberg and Ruthanna Khalighi Hopper (I had to prepare myself for living near Hollywood. Loved this book!)
Bright Lights Big Ass - Jen Lancaster (If you have not read any of Lancaster's books, do so now. She has another one coming out May 9th...so excited. I think I will camp out in front of Borders.)
Smart Like Me - Diane Vadino
Such A Pretty Fat - Jen Lancaster (I risked my life by walking through the scary part of town to purchase this book. Worth every second of praying for no one to attack me. Read it in a few days...just could not put it down.)
Fourplay - Jane Moore
Straight Up And Dirty - Stephanie Klein
Confessions Of A Beauty Addict - Nadine Haobsh (This book was featured in a fashion magazine, so I figured I would check it out. Easy read. Love the idea of working at a magazine. Sounds so glamouous!)

I am currently reading:
Are You There Vokda? It's Me, Chelsea - Chelsea Handler (Great book if you want something hilarious to read. Each chapter is a different story, so it is good to read if you are really busy and not able to focus on heavy intellictual material.)
In Defense Of Food: An Eater's Manifesto - Michael Pollan (I have been trying to finish this book for a month. It's not bad, just very historical. I am not a fan of history. One of my least favorite subjects. It is a good book for all advocates of the vegetarian diet. Anyone who is trying to limit their processed food intake should read this immediately. Be weary of any food product with ingredients you can't pronounce and those with tons of ingredients...in other words they are fake foods.)

If you want to know more about one of these books, just ask. If you have a great book I should read next let me know. Spoiled: Stories by Caitlin Macy is on my wish list!

Proof That Energy Is Contagious

My Monday started off great and the day only got better. I had lunch with the Executive Director for the LA Arthritis Foundation chapter. There is a lot of opportunity for me to use my professional skills to help the organization. I am going to be the 2010 LA Walk Chair (we are getting a head start on next year's event!). I am a firm believer that you have to give to get.

I am also the VP of Public Relations for the International Board of Directors of Yellow-Tie (a fantastic networking group in STL). My 2009 goal is to get the LA chapter up and running again. I had a wonderful meeting today with a colleague who expressed an interest in starting a networking group. Fate? Probably not. This is an example of positive energy working to bring inspired and motivated people together to achieve a common goal that will benefit others.

If I allowed my negativity towards my lack of sleep and loss of an hour over the weekend to consume my day, I don't think either one of these opportunities would have surfaced. Keep staying positive and use that energy to do great things.

Off To An Energizing Start

Last night I went to bed much later than usual, courtesy of the time change. When I finally went o bed I couldn’t help but think about how annoyed I was that I lost an hour of my weekend. Weekends are already too short and they go by way too fast. Naturally, I woke up before 5:00am and could not fall back asleep (why do you always get the worst night sleep when you have limited time to sleep?). I started to think about how horrible the day would be since I would be suffering from a lack of sleep. After tossing and turning for a bit trying desperately to fall back asleep, I decided to just give in and get going. Suddenly my mind started racing and I started to think about future blog posts. I jumped out of bed and turned on my computer (pre-coffee so it will be a miracle if anything I wrote makes any sense at all) to document my ideas and topics before I lost the inspiration. I hit the gym feeling exhilarated and cranked out 6 miles on the elliptical (I usually push for 4 miles). I busted out some crunches (woo hoo day 2 of operation abs) and performed my usual morning routine.

This blog must be the reason for my energizing start to the day. It is new and exciting. I am a very social person and a huge talker (runs on my dad’s side of the family). This blog is the perfect place for me to talk to anyone who will listen.
In addition to sharing my wisdom and humor, this blog might open new doors of opportunity. When I finished my graduate thesis, I told my dad I wanted to write a book. I don’t have any concrete concepts (yet), but I think this blog will be a darn good start. Some of my favorite authors wrote memoirs. This move to a new city might just be the story I can get published. This blog will allow me to document my adventures in LA, flush out my writing skills and generate ideas. I will develop my voice and hopefully a following.

Lastly, I hope to make a positive impact in people’s lives by writing this blog. I am a very passionate about fitness and love fashion. By sharing stories of working out, I hope to motivate someone to live a more fit life. (I plan to keep sharing kick-butt workout songs.) Feel free to ask me questions about improving your own workout. I am no expert, but I certainly don’t lack motivation. I have run 2 marathons, a handful of half-marathons and taught spinning.

As far as fashion goes…my heart skips a beat when I visit the Manolo Blahniks at Nordstorm and I long for designer purses, but I am certainly not at a place in my life where I can afford these fashionable luxuries (but I will be there someday!). I do happen to find a lot of great stuff (if you saw my closet you might argue that I find too much stuff) that is reasonably priced for the average woman. By describing my shopping addiction and launching a label called Power Outfits I hope to inspire women to unveil their inner fashionistas. Be on the lookout for another new label Fabulous Reading. I believe that everyone should read books and articles to continue learning. Who has the time to shift through all of the material out there? If I come across something great I’ll let you know (be forewarned…I read a lot of chick-lit, nutrition books, fashion magazines and books on women succeeding in their careers. If these are not at the top of your reading list, you might not be into my suggestions).

Clearly I am energized about this blog. Keep coming back to follow my life in LA. Energy after all is contagious!

Ticket For One

When was the last time you has an entire day all to yourself? If you have not done it in a while, I highly suggest taking a day and scheduling a date with yourself. Joe is out of town and I am in a city where I know very few people. I had a date with myself today, but it was probably more by default than by planning. I have had a lot of personal time since I have moved out to LA. When I lived in STL I was very committed. I attended several networking events a month, volunteered, worked late and took advantage of various social invites. Moving away gave me a chance to breathe and take some time to myself. Of course, I am already looking for ways to get involved in LA, because if I don’t start committing myself I will get bored very quickly. When I have a crazy packed schedule, I hope I don’t forget the value of taking some time for myself every once and a while. It is important to have a date with yourself to relax and enjoy life.

My date with myself started with a cup of coffee (a must!) and a good book. I curled up on the couch and read without any distractions. After finishing my book, I hit the gym. I totally took over the spin area and rode on my own (probably not allowed, but I will continue to ride without a class until someone tells me not too). After a great ride and some crunches (I am motivated to get a great stomach since bikini season is right around the corner) I grabbed some lunch. I can’t get enough sandwiches lately. Quiznos makes a dynamite veggie sub (please don’t tell me the calorie count. I know if has to be bad with the guacamole and cheese, but it is so good!). I finished up lunch and decided to head to a mall (I know I shop a lot, but this trip was a legit errand. I had to exchange some shoes.). I found a really neat place (expect for the fact that I had to pay for parking…seriously!) called The Groove. It is an outdoor shopping, entertaining and eating area. I exchanged my shoes and treated myself to a movie. I don’t know if there are any theaters downtown, so I figured I should take advantage of being out and about. I saw Confessions of a Shopaholic. If you have not seen this movie, don’t and save your money. I thought Rebecca (the main character) was too flighty and the entire plot was way too frou-frou. I don’t know what I was expecting, but I actually thought about leaving during the movie. Instead of spending $12 on a movie ticket, rent it on DVD and use the left over money to buy a bangle from Forever 21 (you’ll get more satisfaction). There was a wedding scene in the movie and the bride picked out a hideous dress for Rebecca to wear. I hope this earns me some brownie points with my bridesmaids, because they will be wearing a sleep, black strapless gown. No tulle hideous color frocks at our wedding!

I ended my day watching (what I wanted to on TV, which was not a sports game) the Style Network’s new reality show Running in Heels. (I might be secretly obsessed with anything that features the magazine world. My dream job is to be the fashion director at a magazine. If you have any connections please let me know!). My day was fabulous and full of things I love. Of course, having a date with my self every single day would get very lonely, but it is a must every once and a while. I encourage every woman to throw on a cute outfit and proudly order a ticket for one. It is very liberating! Plus, you don't have to wonder if yourself will call the next day.

I spent the morning creating this blog. I have been thinking about my LA life blog for quite a while. I had a burst of inspiration this morning, so I uploaded a bunch of emails I had been sending to friends since I moved out here. Aside from a trip to the gym and grocery store, my day has been uneventful. I am really excited about posting something fresh on my new blog, so I needed to borrow an idea for a post (I was inspired by Chic Runner's Power Playlist post). Being unoriginal is lame, but I feel anyone who loves working out won't be disappointed with the content below. 

I have become obsessed with making new workout playlists lately. Sometimes a girl needs a little extra motivation to hit the gym before the break of dawn. I have spent tons of time looking for playlist ideas online, and have found some kick-butt songs. My taste in music is pretty eclectic, so I thought I would share with you some of my favorite workout playlists (not an original idea, but fun to share what motivates me).  I do a little bit of everything at the gym, so I have tons of workout playlists. 

Classic cardio:

 I'm So Paid - Akon

Glamorous - Fergie

Untouched - The Veronicas

Miss Independent - Ne-Yo

Moby - Go

Use Somebody - King of Leon

Wolf Like Me - TV On The Radio

Just Dance - Lady GaGa

Green Light (Feat. Andre 3000) - John Legend

Right Round - Flo Rida

I Just Wanna Live - Good Charlotte

Shake It - Metro Station

Disturbia - Rihanna

Songs for riding, cycling and spinning (gotta be able to zone out):

The Shock Of Lightning - Oasis

Alive - Pearl Jam

Up Around The Ben - Credence Clear Water Evival

Hollywood Nights - Bob Seger

Bring Me To Life - Evanescence

Blinded By The Light - Manfred Mann

Hello Again - Dave Matthews Band

Lay Down - O.A.R.

Starlight - Muse

By The Way - Red Hot Chili Peppers

Edge Of Seventeen - Stevie Nicks

Sweet Emotion - Aerosmith

This Is Your Life - Switchfoot

She Paints Me Blue - Something Corporate

Take Me Out - Franz Ferdinand

Hook - Blues Traveler

Dance Dance - Fall Out Boy 

Right Now - Van Halen

Barracuda - Heart

Riding The Storm Out - REO Speedwagon

Wanna be buff? (rock out while lifting!):

Thunderstruck - AC/DC 

Falling Away From Me - Korn

Animal I Have Become - Three Days Grace

Diary Of Jane - Breaking Benjamin

Guerilla Radio - Rage Against the Machine

Going The Distance - Cake

Mama Said Knock You Out - LL Cool J 

Keep Runnin' Runnin' (get fired up!): Beware...there's lots of techno

Start Me Up - Rolling Stones (I heard this at the start of a half marathon. It has made every major running playlist since then. It's the perfect getting going song, so you don't burn a hot jam while waiting to get across the start line in a race.)

White Horse (Whelan & Di Scala Club Mix) - Sarch McLeod

Feel Your Love (Extended Mix) - Kim Sozzi

Ants Marching - Dave Matthews Band (gotta have your favorite artist)

Sweet Child Of Mine - GNR

Paradise City - GNR (Guns n Roses = classic get fired up music)

Fire (Extended Version) - Ferry Corsten

Moonlight Party - Fonzerelli 

Lake Shore Drive - Aliotta, Haynes, and Jeremiah (If you have ever run 26.2 in Chicago you understand the importance of this song)

Wipe Me Down - Lil Boosie 

The Prophet - CJ Boland (serious powerfisting song!)

Lifter - Alex Kunnari (play it when you are fading and need to run another mile)

Alright - Red Carpet

Traffic - DJ Tiesto

I Need A Miracle (Club Remix) - Fragma

World Hold On - Bob Sinclair

Still need some ideas? Check out these sites:

www.spinning.com (go to the instructors section then weekly playlists)

www.self.com (search the site for playlists)

www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/music/popular-playlists/

Recruiting Friends

March 4th

This past Sunday marked 6 weeks in LA. I can’t believe how fast time has gone by. To be honest, I feel like I have lived here forever. Still no regrets on the move and no feelings of being homesick. I do, however, miss spending time with my girlfriends. This is one area of my life that is lacking.

Maybe I should post an ad on Craig’s list…seeking great group of girlfriends. Socialites and Celebrities preferred. Must have connections to fabulous red carpet events, VIP status at clubs and a keen sense of style. (Maybe I should rethink that posting, otherwise I am guaranteed to be friendless for years.)

It becomes much more challenging to meet people as you get older. In college it was easy. You became friends with people by default (you lived with them, had class with them, etc.). As a grown up, I think you are forced to rely on your workplace for friends.

I am very fortunate! I think there is some great potential for friends at work. I went to happy hour last week with one of the girls on my team. So much fun! It made me realize that I had been hanging around boys (Joe and his guy friends) way too much. It was nice to socialize with someone who did not talk about sports or hot chicks.

Things with the wedding are progressing. Joe and I committed to December 19th. We already sent in a deposit for the reception. We are having it at a hotel in Clayton. (I originally wanted a loft-style space for the reception. I wanted to use my event planning skills and creativity to create a modern, sleek and sophisticated space. BUT the reality of paying for our own wedding totally shot down those plans! Hotel here we come.) I called the bridal store today and ordered my dress! I have never charged something so expensive. Let's just hope I can still fit into the dress I ordered by December. The countdown to the big day has begun (please don’t snow!).

I Blew It!

February 28th

Joe and I hung out in Laguna Beach today. I tried to spot the MTV reality show stars, but no luck. While in Laguna I did spot sale signs at my favorite boutique (LF)…oh no! Joe even encouraged me to go into the store…TROUBLE! I failed miserably on my goal to not shop in February. I blew it on the last day of the month. A wild animal took over and I soon had a dressing room full of clothing. I narrowed my desired pieces down to 2 dresses, a sweater, pair of jeans and 2 scarves…OPPS! Everything in the store was 60% off. I would have been a fool to not to advantage of the sale. (I will be regretting my splurge when the wedding bills start to roll in). At least I will look fabulous!

Opps I Cheated!

February 21st

When you move, you realize how much stuff you actually own. After unpacking tons of boxes filled with clothes, shoes, purses and accessories I decided to not shop for the entire month of February (of course I picked the shortest month of the year!).

I proclaimed to my friends that I would not shop in February unless it was for a pair of black pumps for work (no woman ever got to the top of a career ladder wearing scuffed up black pumps!). I am proud to say that I have not been anywhere near a mall this month, and I still don't have the pumps (but I just saw online that they have been marked down!). SCORE.

I did cheat a little and purchase a different pair of shoes this morning. I had to get some gold heels. I am a bridesmaid in a sorority sister's wedding this May. I have gold heels that are fantastic, but I kind of ruined them in Florida. When attending a beach wedding, one should not assume that there will be any concrete walking surfaces. I wore a bright blue bubble dress that looks fabulous with gold heels. I assumed I could take off my heels to walk in the sand for the ceremony and then just put them on for the reception and be fine. I sacrificed a pair of perfectly good shoes to look stylish...tear! The dance floor was wood, but the rest of the reception area was sand. I did not realize that the sand was completely stripping the finish off the heel of my shoes (perhaps the vodka clouded my judgement). What a wicked mess, both the shoes and me! Since I planned to wear these heels in the wedding, I had to replace them. Let's just hope I love my new ones that will be delivered in 4-5 days as much as the old ones. Zappos.com is offering free shipping right now!

Yes...I should have waited until March 1st to purchase these shoes, but I was getting a little shaky from not clothing shopping. I needed a shopping fix and I figured I might as well buy something I have to get anyways.

I just wanted to confess. I suck at not shopping. At least I did not eat ice cream yesterday, but I did have the most amazing fortune cookies ever! They were dipped in white chocolate...AMAZING! Off to the gym NOW.

Step Away from the Ice Cream

February 19th

Seriously I have a problem! I left the office today to run an errand for my boss. The moment I left I started thinking about ice cream. I decided that while I was out I could pick up some good ice cream. You know the kind full of really bad for you add-ins. Blizzards, cookie dough concretes, McFlurrys=good ice cream. Basically the more calories, fat and sugar the better. Conveniently there is a McDonalds in the bottom of our building. I quickly scanned the establishment for any of my co-workers (I didn't want to be seen in such a weak and vulnerable moment!) and made my way to the register. I ordered my "good" ice cream feeling a bit ashamed for my afternoon binge. I felt much better when the guy behind me ordered a hot fudge sundae. Gotta love it when you are not alone getting a sugar fix at 3pm. I asked the worker for a small bag, so I could hide my indulgent treat. Unable to control myself until I made it safely to my office, I began eating the ice cream straight from the bag. I was the office professional equivalent of a bum on the street drinking a 40-ounce out of a paper bag. I felt like such an addict riding up the escalator shoving ice cream into my mouth. Thank goodness I walked to work today, walked home for lunch and walked for the errand.

Biking Sightings

February 15th

Today, Joe and I went to Manhattan Beach to go for a walk and to have lunch at one of our favorite spots Hennessey's. We saw some neat things on our walk. A guy was riding his bike wearing a construction hat for a helmet. I guess he figured it would protect him in a crash. It might have been a good idea if construction hats actually strap securely around your chin. Joe spotted a middle-aged woman riding a little boys bike. We couldn't stop laughing. Poor woman was all crouched over pedaling the tiny bike.

Red Eye Flight

February 6th

I flew to Tampa for a friend's wedding. (I am sure this earns me brownie points at the new job. Nothing like taking 2 days off during your first week.) I thought it would be an AWESOME idea to take a red eye flight from LA to Tampa. I didn't want to waste a day traveling (not only is it about a five hour flight there is a 3 hour time change). I left LA Wednesday night at 11pm, flew to Atlanta and then to Tampa. Before embarking on the trip I was actually excited about my overnight flight. I thought I would be able to sleep on the plane and be good to go...HAHA!!! A few lessons I learned...never board an overnight flight without sleeping pills (I opted for a McFlurry before my flight instead of finding some Tylenol PM, delicious yet not the right choice), buy one of the dorky neck pillows (I brought a pillow from home and even though it is delightfully squishy it did not have the proper form for upright snoozing) and get a cute satin eye cover stat (people actually stay awake and read on those flights). I finally got some sleep on the quick flight from Atlanta to Tampa when my body couldn't take being awake any longer. Instead of spending yesterday enjoying Tampa (the whole reason for the crazy flight) I slept. Red eye = red eyes!

How Much Stuff Do I Own?

January 27th

Joe and I have a lot of stuff! The moving truck arrived today and I can not even begin to describe to you the madness in our apartment right now. I am excited to have a couch (I ate two meals sitting on the fluffy piece of heaven today) and a bed (I totally took a cat nap this afternoon. What can I say, watching the movers is exhausting. I had to check off boxes on the inventory sheet and I had a lot of boxes to check off. I got tired). My day has been consumed with unpacking, cutting up boxes and moving things around in cabinets. I had maintenance come and check out our smoking oven, of course it didn't smoke much when Danny was here. I was a bit afraid of the appliance acting up again, so I just had a Lean Cuisine for dinner. Man, frozen dinners have really come along way since I was a kid. I used to get those kids dinners with chicken nuggets, corn and a small brownie. Tonight, I indulged in butternut squash ravioli. Yum!

Unpacking is a very funny process. Not only do you realize how much crap you own, but you start to wonder why you kept the things you did. I found a binder from grad school with articles organized in alphabetical order...NERD! Did I really think I was ever going to reference these again? How many throw blankets can one person have? I think I got a blanket for every club I belonged to in high school and college. Don't even get me started on the numerous candles I have unpacked. I love all of the kitchen gadgets we have. People I only cook two things, pizza or pasta. You would think I could be the next contestant on Top Chef with the amount of slicers and dicers we have.

If anyone wants to get out of STL book your ticket to LA stat. We could drink martinis out of my 12 different glasses and then take shots from one of the 12 shot glasses we own. Not a liquor fan, don't worry we have beer glasses and we don't even drink beer. More of a wino? Do you prefer large stem glasses or short glasses with no stem? Or perhaps a souvenir glass from Crowne Valley...my point is why do we have some many adult beverage containers? Please don't buy us any glassware for wedding gifts.

Did I Just See That?

January 27th

It is in the 50s and sunny and people are wearing gloves. Seriously?! In STL people would bust out their flip-flops in 50 degree weather. If this is bad weather, I'll take it!

I was trotting back to my apartment after a visit at the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (Cinnamon Swirl flavored coffee...yes please!) and I saw a woman carrying a melon in her Louis Vuitton. Who puts an entire cantaloupe in their designer bag? It reminded me of the Sex & The City episode when Carrie has jury duty and the man pulls out random fruit from his briefcase. I thought this was too funny not to share.

Weekend Review

January 23rd-25th

I officially survived my first week in LA. I have learned quite a few things about myself and relationships during my short amount of time away from everyone. We still don't have furniture (the truck finally arrives tomorrow). I love material things (don't act surprised! have you seen my purse collection?), but I have learned that one can live a very satisfied life without a lot of things. I have survived just fine without TV in the apartment. In fact, I have been reading a lot. I am getting ready to start that new Jen Lancaster book I bought last week. It was a joy not having any pots or pans over the weekend. What a bummer to have to go out to eat. I have been rotating the same pieces of comfy/workout clothes. Life is so much less stressful when one does not try on 50 different outfits before heading out the door. Put it this way...the less dressed up I am the less likely I will be approached by a bum. Needless to say, I have become surprisingly aware that life is not at all about things.

I am, however, realizing that I can't live without meaningful relationships. Joe and I spent the weekend together and had a great time. He left for Florida today and I fear it is going to be a long week and a half. I won't see Joe again until I go to Florida on Feb. 5th for a friend's wedding. It is weird to think about making friends out here in LA. How do you make friends as an adult? I am sure when I start working I will meet some fantastic people. Joe and I have a running joke that we are taking applications for friends. Change can be so refreshing and exciting, but one must remember that they can not pick up where they left off. I just need to be patient (which you know is not one of my strengths). Enough with my philosophical insights...here are the updates.

Friday night Joe and I ate at a great little Italian place in downtown. With each day, I am liking this city more and more (even easier to like when I know it is snowing and cold back in STL). The menu listed things that were purely vegetarian. Love it! We were easily entertained with the group that got seated behind us. They were body builders with some serious accents (perhaps from down under mate). They funny part is that the group hit up the local grocery store before coming to dinner and they bought ice cream. Who buys something that will melt in a matter of minutes before going into a restaurant? During the meal, one of the body builders asked if he could pull out his own bread from the grocery store to eat. Really random.

On Saturday, Joe kicked my butt in the fitness center. Keep in mind, I let Joe show me some machines (he went to a personal trainer a few times back in STL) after I ran 4 miles on the treadmill. I wasn't exactly fresh and rested when I started doing weights with Joe. Now I know why I like to avoid the trainers at the gym like the plague. My arms might still be sore. Sit-ups with a medicine ball...really not necessary. After we worked it out we ventured to Glendale to visit Target. I knew there was a mall in Glendale, so I figured that the Target had to be nicer than the one I visited on my first night in LA. Yay for me being right. The Target in Glendale is huge. It is 3 stories and has a separate escalator for carts only. Kind of fun to watch your cart ride next to you. After our day of shopping fun (brooms and ironing boards..not exactly my kind of Target trip. I didn't even get to browse the shoes and purses.) we came back home to get ready to go out. Finally...a night out in this city. Joe and I went to a great dinner and a club to celebrate my b-day. Of course I wore heels out. There is no way Carrie Bradshaw pranced around New York every day and night in her 4-inch Manolos! Seriously, my feet hurt before we even left our building. The good news is that I didn't seem to notice on the way home. Must have been the mystery cocktail the bartender made for me. Joe and I had fun, but man I am old. Just after midnight I was ready to go home. I think it was a combo of missing my friends at my b-day celebration and feeling out of place. Not many people have blond hair in LA. I think it was a good thing we went home when we did. Someone woke up the next day with a hangover and it wasn't me!

Sunday was my birthday! Joe and I started the day with breakfast at IHOP. Worst idea ever! It's a good place if you like your water to taste like it came from the toilet and if you like pancakes that taste like dough. (I pretend I don't eat pancakes, but I always take a few bites of Joe's. I have no portion control, so I am not responsible enough to have my own order of pancakes. I would consume an entire bottle of syrup with one order). We decided that was our first and last trip to the downtown IHOP. (Man do I miss Firstwatch. If you have not been there for breakfast...go soon!) I wanted to go to the beach, and because it was my birthday poor Joe was a trooper and took me to Santa Monica. (There is nothing worse than having a sour stomach from drinking.) We saw a group of people hula hooping in Santa Monica. They were not using your average K-Mart Blue Light Special hula hoops. They had really thick hoops with sparkly patterns. You couldn't help but stare. Some of these people worked their hoop like it was their job. Joe and I stopped at the Zoltar machine (the fortune teller from the movie BIG) and got our fortunes. Zoltar told me to get myself a treat. (Of course, I had the biggest cup of Cold Stone cake batter and cookie dough ever! There was enough ice cream for 3 people and I ate the entire cup...reread part about portion control above.) When we got back in LA, Joe and I spotted some filming on 8th Street. The street was blocked off. We tried to scope out the set, but we arrived just as the crew was shutting down. We didn't see anything cool except for tons of equipment. My birthday night ended with dinner at our favorite little pizza place down the street.

5th Day in the City

January 22nd

My fiance Joe finally arrived in LA! He got in last night and I talked his ear off for nearly 2 hours. Seriously, you can not leave an extrovert in an apartment by herself for more than one day. I guess I could be like the random people on the streets and start talking to myself. Maybe if I walked around talking to myself people would think I am a native...or just insane.

Cali has this really cool rule about contracts. If you sign a contract (gym membership) you have 5 days to think over your decision. I was able to cancel my expensive membership today with no penalty. It is kind of hard to justify paying so much for a gym. I did some research and plan to join a facility that is more reasonable and is located in my office building. A huge perk of the new facility...I can use any of their facilities across the nation.

I had a meeting at my new workplace today. Yay for a job!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will be working on some special projects until I begin to train for me permanent role. In a few months, I will begin to train for the Director of Training & Development role. I am pumped!

There is a guy playing a saxophone outside our apartment. He has been at it for several hours. With his lung capacity, I bet he could run a marathon.

I am patiently awaiting the arrival of my fiance. He called about 20 minutes ago when he was 4 miles away from the apt. Yuck...traffic sounds horrible. I am keeping my fingers crossed that we go somewhere tonight. I bet I'll see some neat things when the lights go down.

4th Day in the City

January 21st

When I lived in STL I would dream about tornadoes. In fact, I was terrified of the possibility of a twister striking down and whisking away my house. Well...now I am paranoid about earthquakes. I woke up last night and started to think about the earth moving and my building falling. I became freaked out about not knowing what to do or where to go. Seriously, I think I need to join a support group for people terrified of natural disasters. I started my day as usual...Starbucks. (Thank goodness for xmas gift cards or I would be broke). I tried another spin class today and like it much better. I still don't understand why the instructors in Cali always use position 3. I think it is so they can check themselves out as they are riding. My instructor today would stare at his biceps. He would look at his left arm and say "ohhhh" and then look at his right. Kind of funny and amusing.

I am really glad Joe is 90 minutes away, because I am starting to get a bit bored. I am so bored...I overcame two fears to entertain myself.
1). I walked in the opposite direction to find a book store. Yay me! The walk was just as terrifying as I had imagined. Probably not a good idea in the dark, but in the daylight ok if you put a lot of pep in your step. I purchased Jen Lancaster's 3rd book "Such A Pretty Fat." If you have not read her books they are absolutely, laugh out loud, hilarious. I love her sarcasm and bitchiness.
2). I left my apartment at night and walked through the streets of downtown. After dinner I wanted to take a walk to kill some time (who am I kidding I was having a really bad sugar craving and NEEDED ice cream). I have spotted a Cold Stone several times during my explorations of the city. I knew exactly where the store was located, so I could not stop thinking about the deliciousness inside. I braved the walk and indulged in my absolute fav...cake batter and cookie dough. Well worth the risk of being harassed by homeless folk (this did not happen thankfully). On my adventure I saw the coolest thing...filming. A crew was setting up in the parking lot next to our apartment. On my way back I saw the trailer pulling a cop car with lights and the film crew. Really neat. I was so enamored that I stopped walking and watched for a bit (this was a big step considering how much of a scaredy cat I am).

Tomorrow should be a good day. I actually have things to do. I am headed to my new workplace for lunch to finalize details of my new job. Yay for income and a life's purpose. As much as I love having some free time, I need to get back to work. I am not motivated to do anything other than drink coffee, read and go to the gym. I am much more productive when I am working. They always say if you want something done, give it to a busy person.

3rd Day in the City

January 20th

Sleeping on an air mattress kind of sucks. I guess it could be worse, I could be on the floor. The good news...I only have a week left on the air mattress (insert sarcasm). I decided to actually stay in downtown today to find a gym. Naturally, I started my day at Starbucks. This time I avoided convincing myself that something terrible is going to happen and I actually got to enjoy reading outside. I made my way to the gym and was delighted when the sales manager told me to go in and workout. I even got to take a spin class...worst class ever! I had no clue how to set-up the bikes (I taught spin back in STL, so I am no newbie) or how to attach the cages to the pedals (my spin shoes with the clips were somewhere across the country). I thought the instructor would be helpful (I helped so many new riders get set up before class), but she was not. She couldn't get the adjustment levers to move, so I had to switch bikes. She clipped the cages onto the bike the wrong way, so they kept hitting the crank each time I pedaled. I had to switch bikes again (and by this time class had started and the instructor could have cared less about my bike set-up issues). Once I finally got set-up I was ready to ride. The instructor's routine was uber lame. We stayed in the same position the entire time (position 3...no real cyclist ever rides an entire ride in 3). Luckily, I have been teaching for a while so I made up my own routine. I threw in some sprints, hill climbs and jumps (I convinced myself that the other students in class would enjoy me as an instructor so much more). After class I met with the sales manager and joined the gym. Opps! It was a bit more expensive than my gym back in STL (who am I kidding...it was way more expensive).

I found the most magnificent place on my walk home...the FIDM scholar shop. You can easily get an entire outfit with accessories for $30 and the money goes to the students at FIDM. Maybe when I start to get an income again I can do a little shopping. I would love to go to the fashion district one Saturday. On Saturdays the stores that sell to wholesalers open up to the public.

I did see some crazy street action tonight (right across from where I will be working). A guy dressed in dingy denim was yelling call the cops as some gang-like fellows were harassing him. I decided to get as far away from that nonsense as possible. I have been trying to ignore the bums and to not stare at all of the crazies that occupy this lovely city. My key to success...giant sunglasses. I am able to look without people knowing I am watching their crazy antics. I think I am getting the hang of things.

2nd Day in the City

January 19th

My 2nd day in LA was much less traumatic. I decided to explore my city. I got up and headed to the grocery store I was unable to find on my first night in LA. I was delighted when I passed 2 Starbucks on the route (I went the same way I will go every morning to work and girl is addicted to non-fat lattes). I finally found the grocery store (yay me! It closed at 5pm on Sunday, so the building was probably dark when I drove by it several times). The store has a fabulous wine section and it even has a sushi bar. Imagine my delight when I saw the glorious pink X-Rated in the liquor section (must pick some up for upcoming b-day celebration so Joe and I can do it college style and pre-party before hitting the clubs where drink costs $16). After the grocery store I decided to treat myself to a latte and a little reading. My plan quickly changed when I noticed several of the streets closed off by downtown public safety and filled with fire trucks and police cars. I convinced myself there was a bomb threat (a result of being alone for a couple of days) and hightailed it to my apartment. I decided to leave the city and go to the beach where I would be safe. I hit up the Village Beach Runner and bought some new kicks (Saucony rocks for those of you in need of new running shoes) and took my purchase for a spin on the beach path. I ate lunch at the most glorious Whole Foods in the entire world. The salad bar was so extensive that they even separated out the peppers based on color. I conquered the drive back into the city and felt a bit more relaxed on the crazy freeway. I tried to cook some dinner in the oven and it started to smoke when I turned it on (Carrie Bradshaw was no dummy when she used her oven to store clothes). I planned to avoid using the oven until Joe got to town. I didn't want to be alone if I set off the firm alarms. I rented out our screening room (quite possibly the coolest place in the world to watch TV or movies) to watch 24 and headed off to bed. I feel asleep feeling very happy being in LA (or perhaps it was the Cabernet).

1st Day in the City

January 18th

I left the STL today and arrived in my new home...LA. The flight was uneventful, but I don't recommend flying into Denver if you have a weak stomach. The mountains cause some wicked turbulence. I was very relieved when both of my suitcases showed up at baggage claim. I had 97.5 pounds of stuff in those suitcases. I just barely cleared the 50 lb. weight limit on the bags. After claiming my bricks I went outside to wait for my ride. Heatwave! It was in the 80's today in LA. I got picked up and went to claim my car, which was shipped out to LA earlier in the week. I popped in the new CDs I made for my first few days in LA (all my other CDs were on some semi-truck in the middle of the country). I opened the sunroof and headed out for some lunch. Whole Foods! I thought I remembered where the Whole Foods was, but after a wrong turn I realized I had no clue. Lesson 1: Use the navigation system. I have it for a reason. After lunch I headed into downtown LA to the apartment. Lesson 2: I need to grow some balls to drive out here. People on the freeways are CRAZY and switch lanes like mad men. I arrived at my new place in downtown LA with fists clenched to the steering wheel. After unloading the bricks from the car, I decided to check out the fitness center. Major perk! All I have to do is go to the 2nd floor and I have 24-hour access to 2 elliptical machines, a bike, 2 treadmills (the same kind my old gym had...YAY!) and lots of weights. I put on my gym clothes and realized that I left my running shoes back in STL. No way! I thought it would be a good idea to wear my Pumas to the gym. Lesson 3: Always wear proper footwear when working out. After a quick workout I planned to go run errands. I needed to go to a Target and a grocery store. I pulled out the so-called trusty navigation and typed in Target. I was pleased to learn that a Target was only 6 miles away. Closer is clearly not better. The navigation system took me to a bad part of town! I have never been so scared in my life. There were security guards in the Target parking lot. Stressed and in some dire need of retail therapy, I decided to take my chances. I parked and booked it inside. Lesson 4: If you are on a budget, go to a Target in a bad neighborhood. You are guaranteed to buy what is on your list and nothing else. I quickly buzzed through the aisles, careful not to make eye contact and got out of dodge. There was no browsing of the clothes section, purse section or shoe section. Shower curtain (Yeah, I showered after the gym without one. Good thing I packed an extra towel to soak up the water on the floor), Clorox wipes (God only knows who lived in the apartment before us), soap, bottle opener (I fully intended on getting a bottle of wine at the grocery store) and Wheat Thins (my one splurge off the list) and I was OUT! On route back to our apartment I missed the highway entrance. Luckily another one came up 2 miles later. Can you believe there is even traffic at 7:00pm on a Sunday night? By this point I was starving and needed a grocery store stat! Not only did I need some food, but I wanted to put my new $4 wine opener to good use. When I got closer to downtown I entered grocery store into the navigation system and...Score! There was one somewhere close. I circled the place where the store was supposed to be twice and no luck. Damn! I tried for another store. I headed towards the other store and when I finally arrived I quickly realized that the navigation system needed to be updated. Lesson 5: Don't rely on navigation to get anywhere in this city. (Rethink Lesson 1). The grocery store no longer existed in that location. Awesome, I was back in another bad part of town. Starving and in need of a giant cocktail, I headed back home. After unloading my Target bags I asked the front desk where I could get some food. One of the security guards walked me two blocks to a fabulous little pizza place. Lesson 6: Talk to the locals before trying to venture anywhere on my own. Duh! Why didn't I ask for help before tyring to be Miss Independent? I ordered a glass of Cab and slammed it so quickly the wait staff became concerned. Finally content I headed back to the apartment. The place was empty except the closet was already full. The giant empty living room would make a great dance floor and suddenly I realized that I missed all of my fabulous friends. It still had not really sunk in that I am staying here for good.

You can take the girl out of the suburbs, but you can't take the suburbs out of the girl. City life will take a while to adjust to. The streets are one-way, I have heard 3 sirens within the last 30 minutes and I think we have a strip club a block away. Only in a city!

My New Project

When I moved to LA, I started to email friends about all of the things I was seeing and doing in my new city. Reading memoirs and other blogs inspired me to take these emails and create K and the City. I invite you to join me and read about my adventures and ordinary experiences that make up my life. Who knows? Maybe someday I will have my own published memoir!