Life is All About Timing

Life is all about timing; being in the right place at the right time. Today, I could not help but realize how much my own life aligns with this expression. When Joe and I moved to LA it was the right time for me to get the job that I wanted. I wanted to stay with the company I worked for in St. Louis and the LA office had a position opening up. We made the move a few months before the LA office was actually ready to hire a replacement Director of Training & Development, but they pulled some strings and got me on board early (shows you the power of a referral. Thanks goes out to my former boss for making a call to the LA boss!). I have almost been with my company for four months and I have assumed the majority of responsibilities with my position. My predecessor is still in the office which is actually a blessing (timing again). If I did not have several month to learn my position, I would not be off to such a quick start. I am grateful that the stars were lined up for me to get a job at a company I respect and enjoy working with and even more grateful to have this invaluable time to learn my position.

My office closed at 2:00pm today in celebration of the upcoming Memorial Day holiday. (Score!). This holiday break could not have come at a better time. I have never worked as hard or as much as I did the last two weeks. I oversaw my first training class. In addition to trying to figure out what needs to happen each day for training, I have spent a great deal of time working with my team discussing our internship program. I have spent many long days in the office (in at 7:00am or 7:10am if I am having an awesome workout and out no earlier than 6:00pm). Gone are the days I could leave my Gmail open and respond whenever a new message arrived. I have over 400 unread emails. (Not to self...sign up for an email account to give out so you stop receiving newsletters for every organization). Sorry to all of my friends that have called. After being "on" at work for 12 hours the last thing I want to do is talk on the phone. In fact I hardly ever hear my phone ring because it is on vibrate 90% of the time so it does not go off during meetings and buried in my purse. For every new task or responsibility I learn I create a check list or task in Outlook (thank you Microsoft for keeping my life in order. I would be a wicked mess without you. Don't even get me started on my love for hot pink post-its). My main goal right now is to learn the system so I can replicate what my predecessor did without a hitch. I have also been working to improve the system and I have been adding tasks to my role because I feel like they could help the office. Needless to say, without investing some extra time at the office I would be sinking instead of barely staying afloat. Hey, nothing worth mastering is ever easy. I am confident that in time I can reduce my work hours to a decent amount and achieve a bit more balance in my life. Long story short, I am looking forward to having Monday off (LA Marathon day downtown. I can't wait to be on the other side of the barricades drinking a Starbucks and watching the other runners speed by. There is a little piece of me that wishes I was actually one of the runners.) I already feel rejuvenated and refreshed and it is only Friday night. (Got to love long afternoon naps!)

Since I spelt all afternoon I was bored earlier this evening. (Even though I enjoy down time, to be honest with you I have no idea how to actually do nothing for extended periods of time). I needed an activity and after clearing out some of my personal emails I needed to get out of the house. I decided to walk to dinner and the grocery store. I found a new place, Wolfgang Puck's Bistro, for dinner. I couldn't decide between Mexica, pizza or Quizno's. Wolfgang Puck's happened to appear at the right time. I read over the menu and was intrigued by many choices. I could not pass up the special. Half a pizza (I was craving it after all and I need portion control. Pizza and ice cream are the two foods that I eat way too much off. My "full" sensor is broken when these foods are in front of me.), a salad and a glass of wine for $15. Sold! I even got to pick any wine off the menu, not just the gross house wine. After indulging in the perfectly portioned meal I ventured to the grocery store. On my way to the store a woman cam out of her apartment building walking two dogs. One of the dogs was a black pug! (Joe and I have been talking about getting a dog, going to dog rescues and researching the furry friends online. Pugs are by far our favorite. We are going to name our Pug Tiesto after our favorite dj.) I had to interact with this dog. I told the woman I like her Pug and she asked me if I wanted her. (I know she was only joking, but a big part of me wished she was for real.) As I was talking to the woman, her Pug put her paws on my legs and allowed me to pet her head. Swoon! I want our Pug now more than ever. Talk about timing.

K Visits St. Louis

Last weekend I went to St. Louis for the first time since I moved to LA. Yay! I will admit that I was a little nervous about the trip. I was afraid that I would have such a good time and would not want to come back to LA, especially since Joe was staying in St. Louis. I did have a good time, maybe too good of time, but I was thrilled to get back to LA. When I walked off the plane and into LAX I felt like I was at home. I was even greeted with LA traffic on the 405 at 10:30pm on a Sunday night...nothing says home in LA like a jam packed highway.

My weekend started off on the right foot with a 3:45am wake up call on Friday. I had to hit the gym before our flight since I knew the weekend would be a calorie disaster (turns out I was right). I seem to have the best luck with seats on the plane (no that I mentioned it my luck will change). I was in a row with no one in the middle seat, so I was able to spread out and get comfy. I made great progress in Jen Lancaster's 4th book, Pretty in Plaid on the flight. The flight was uneventful until we got to the landing. I almost lost my breakfast on the seat in front of me. The plane would not stop tipping from side-to-side. When we finally touched down I was greeted with rain (what a surprise). I had not seen rain since February.

Joe and I met up with my sister and after lunch, my sis and I went to my bridal shop. I bought my veil and we got the low-down on ordering the bridesmaid dresses. My sister took me to my hotel and on our way I completely forgot about a major highway being closed. Funny how when I lived in St. Louis the highway 40 closure was a topic of every day conversation. After a major detour, we finally got to the hotel. We pulled up to valet and my sister asked me if I thought the valet could drive a stick. Duh! I told my sister that she is not the only one in St. Louis who drives a stick. Imagine our laughter when it took forever to get her car back from valet, because the guy who went to retrieve her car could not drive a stick. The valet company really needs to improve their interviewing process.

It was awesome to walk into the church for the rehearsal (I was a bridesmaid in a friend's wedding) and see my girlfriends. I think the wedding coordinator might have been a little annoyed with us since we talked during the entire rehearsal...opps. After the rehearsal we went to the soon-to-be married couple's house for dinner. Despite the fact that I had been up since 4am I was still feeling the need to socialize after the dinner, so Joe and I made an appearance at Harry's. We walked to Harry's from our hotel (it was just like being at home in downtown LA). Someone told us that we looked very LA...score! It was probably not my brightest idea to stay out until 2am, but it was worth the lack of sleep.

When my alarm went off around 7am on Saturday I could barley peel my eyes open. I knew it would be a long day and that my only opportunity to workout would be in the am. I grudgingly put on my running shoes, grabbed a water bottle (wonder why I was a bit dehydrated?) and headed out for a run. I don't get the chance to run outside much in LA and I miss it terribly. (It is a bit scary in downtown LA when it is dark and there are crosswalks everywhere which would mean I would have to stop every few steps). I ran down to the Arch and had to touch both sides and I also ran by Bush Stadium. I felt at home and a bit hungover :)

After my run I had to race to shower and pack a bag for the wedding. (What a surprise..me be crunched for time.) I got to my hair appointment a few minutes late, because the valet at our hotel was terrible. My stylist was able to give me a hair cut and an up-do in 70 minutes (that must be a record). I was headed to the bride's hotel room with one of my girlfriends when she pointed out that I did not have my bridesmaid dress. I had everything but in my wedding day bag (two pairs of heels, an apple for a snack, a new tube of lipstick, my jewelry and makeup). How could I forget the dress? Luckily, my hotel room was only a couple of blocks from the bride's room.

I had a great time getting dressed with my girlfriends and I made a mental note to do the same thing on my wedding. In fact, I made a lot of mental notes on my friend's wedding day. It is funny how your entire wedding experience changes when you are in the midst of planning your own day. My friend had perfect weather for her wedding (I was a bit chilly and people thought I was nuts. I guess your blood do thin quickly out here in LA). The after party was not even an option. Once the reception ended, I was ready for bed.

On Sunday morning, Joe and I had brunch with my mom and sister. I despise the person that thought having dessert at brunch would be a good idea. How do you not eat it when you have to pass the dessert table to get to the regular food? After brunch my mom, sister and I stopped by my grandma's house. I showed my grandma pictures of my wedding dress and asked her for some pearls to borrow. (After attending the wedding I got into full planning mode. I started thinking about my something old, new, borrowed and blue. I also planned my picture spots and picked out a rehearsal dinner place. I apologize to my bridesmaids that had to hear me talk about my soon-to-be wedding day all weekend long). My grandma ended up giving me the pearls, so they now count as my something old. I am still working on the something borrowed piece. My time with my family was cut short, because Joe and I had one more major event to attend. Our Goddaughter's baptism.

Joe and I went to church with his brother and our soon-to-be Goddaughter. I will admit when I sat down in the pew the exhaustion finally hit. I was at church, but I was definitely not present. After the mass we had the baptism ceremony for Emily. This was the first time I saw Emily outside of the hospital. She is adorable. Emily was a perfect angel during the ceremony, except when the priest dumped the water on her head. I am pretty sure all babies scream during this part. After the ceremony we went back to Emily's mom's parent's house for a celebration lunch. As soon as I walked in the door I knew I was in trouble. There were white chocolate covered strawberries on the table. I broke the deal I had with myself to not eat any more sweets since I had dessert at brunch. I even had a piece of the baptism cake, because it had butter cream icing. My prediction about the weekend being a calorie disaster was dead on.

On the flight home I finished Pretty in Plaid (I think I set a new personal reading record). Jen Lancaster will be in California at a Barnes & Noble this Thursday. I totally plan on going to see her. When I walked off the plane I was happy to be back in LA. I miss my friends and family, but I am having such a great time out here. One of my girlfriends asked me if I would ever leave LA and my quick response was no. I like my job, the beach is super close and I am meeting some fabulous new people (I had dinner with a new friend last Monday and I have lunch plans with a new friend today :)). It is nice to go back home and to be reminded of where you came from so you can look forward to where you are going!

Weekend Review...LA Firsts

A Dodgers' Game, An Earthquake and a Dinner Party...Oh My!

Joe's brother was in town last week for work, which meant Joe and I got to play hosts. Hosting a guest from St. Louis has a giant perk...fun activities. On Thursday night (I know Thursday is technically a week night, but since it is towards the end of the week I am including it in my weekend review.) the three of us ventured to Dodger Stadium for a baseball game. I grew up in a baseball town, so I have always been a fan of going to games. I associate baseball games with summertime. There is nothing better than eating peanuts and throwing the shells on the ground. Now that I live in LA I am a Dodgers fan (Go Manny!), but when the Dodgers play the Cardinals I will route, route for my home team. I will never not be a Cardinals fan.

It took us an hour to drive the 3 miles from our apartment to the stadium (note to self...plan to walk to the game next time and never leave the house without going to the bathroom!). Joe's brother managed to get us free parking. It is crazy...these boys have connections all over the country. Our seats were great for only $25 and it was free blanket night. I dreaded trying to find something for dinner (I don't eat meat, so a Dodger Dog was out of the question), but I was delighted when I saw vegetarian pizza. Score! In St. Louis you can get greasy pizza or greasier pizza. The pizza was pretty good for ballpark food, but the frozen yogurt topped with peanuts was a home run. Speaking of home runs...we saw Manny hit a home run and the Dodgers won.

After work on Friday, I was in desperate need of a nap. I was longing for my bed all day long and was so annoyed when I got home and could not sleep because of the noise outside of my apartment. There were several demonstrations taking place near the City Hall and I constantly heard the helicopters flying around. I finally dozed off and was jolted (literally) awake. I often awake in the middle of the night thinking my bed is shaking (paranoia), but this time it really was shaking. There was a small earthquake at 6:11pm. I knew it was more than my imagination when I heard the coat hanger hanging on the knob of a dresser drawer bang against the dresser. It was only a matter of time before I felt my first quake.

Friday night Joe took us to Kincaid's on the Redondo Beach Pier. Kincaid's is one of my favorite restaurants! After a divine dinner (a warm brie appetizer followed by the grilled halibut) we decided to take Joe's brother to a local watering hole downtown. We met up with one of my friends from work and hit 7 Grand. The place was a little lame, but at least we got seats and didn't have to bribe some doorman to let us enter the bar. No cover and no line...I'll take it any day. This bar actually carries Pearl Vodka (unfortunately not pomegranate flavored, but the blueberry is tasty). We had a good time and I made a dance floor (shocker!). After dancing around my feet were in no condition for the walk home. Poor Joe ended up giving me a piggy back ride. I guess I'll let him count that as a workout for the day.

Saturday morning Joe's brother had to go to the airport. We stopped at Hennessey's in Manhattan Beach for breakfast before going to LAX. Hennessey's has the best oatmeal and restaurant coffee. It was sad saying good bye to Joe's brother because we had a good time (fo' sho), but I'll see him next weekend when I go to St. Louis for a wedding, Mother's Day breakfast and baptism (busy weekend!).

On Saturday night a friend from work came over for dinner. I made homemade pizza (one of two meals I cook) and garlic cheesy bread. I forgot how much I love to entertain. I make dinner for Joe regularly and he always says it taste good (but then again I think he might be forced to say it is good if he wants me to continue cooking for him). When other people enjoy the food you cooked, then you know it must be pretty good. It is very rewarding to watch others enjoy the meal you prepared. Something came over me as I was cleaning up from dinner and I decided to take the left over pizza outside to a homeless person. This was a risky plan, but I couldn't stand to throw the food away when there are so many people sleeping on the streets right outside our building. I wrapped up slices of pizza, grabbed a napkin and headed outside to feed someone dinner. I gave the food to a woman sitting on a bus stop bench bundled up with coats, gloves and scarves and surrounded by bags full of her belongings. You want to make someone's day...offer a homeless person dinner. What a small gesture that made a difference in someone's life.

Sunday morning started off great. I finished another book (Misery Loves Cabernet). The book takes place in LA, so naturally I liked the story. It is fun to read about places like Ralphs and the Biltmore Hotel. I finished the author's first book A Total Waste of Makeup a few weeks ago. I can breeze through fun novels, but struggle to get through anything educational. I am also trying to read The Trophy Kids Grow Up, but got bored halfway through when the author kept describing parents that accompany their children on job interviews. My generation has some issues.

It was cycle Sunday at the gym (now that I got hired at 24 Hour I have a legit reason to ride the spin bikes by myself) and then Joe and I ran some errands. We were driving down the PCH and noticed a pet adoption at a pet store. We stopped. Big mistake. Joe and I have been talking about getting a dog for a while now. We even have a name picked out for our dog...Tiesto (after our favorite DJ). We want a pug. My heart broke seeing the dogs up for adoption. We found a really cute one, but it was a female (and she was not a pug). The name Tiesto is clearly best suited for a male dog. Hopefully, I will be writing about another first really soon...our first puppy.