The Move, one month later

One month ago today SMS and I woke up in New York and went to be in Los Angeles.

I marked today with two of my favorite activities: a hike in Wilacre and cutting SMS' hair. (Note the beginning, middle/mullet and end below.)

I am absolutely amazed that it's only been one month -- so much has happened and it doesn't seem possible it's only been 30 days. I'm not going to recap here (if you're new, feel free to browse the archives!) but I will offer some thoughts:

-- My hair is getting lighter. My dad had a thing about hair. First it was his toupee, then he shaved it all off. He let Mr. Happy put a temporary pink mohawk in his hair and later he let him pour a bottle of peroxide in it, which after a day in the sun turned my brother's hair orange. He had to re-dye it dark brown before his school would allow him on the bust for a trip to Toronto. Ah, the totalitarian 80s. Peroxide had a kinder, gentler effect on my hair and my dad loved to help me lighten it in the summer.

-- I'm always tan here. A few years ago in late January I ran into some of my friends who I hadn't seen in a few months. Elise - who has been known to play "ethnically-non-descript-and- non-threatening" roles expressed concern that I might be coming down with something. "Why?" I asked. "You look pale," she said. "Pale?" I replied, "Elise, I'm white and it's winter!" She laughed, but it's true. I have light olive skin, which in cold climates in the winter reads as GRAY. It is so nice to be somewhere where every morning I wake up and I look like I'm glowing. (Don't worry, I'm wearing moisturizer and chap stick with sunscreen!)

-- Traffic isn't as bad as I expected, but the driving here is HORRIBLE. Passing on the right is acceptable and bobbing and weaving is a way of life. I am a pretty fast driver in the rest of the country; here, I'm a slow-poke.

-- I love not having a full-time job. I've done it for 10 years and I rationalized it a great deal. I enjoyed many of my jobs, but I never enjoyed sitting at a desk for eight hours a day. I am a consummate multi-tasker, so if that means doing a load of laundry while taking an hour long business call, so be it.

-- There is still so much more to do. We unpacked the boxes with all of our artwork in them today. We hung a few pieces, but mist can't be hung until we finish getting furniture, which is going to be a few more weeks (or more, depending on how quickly IKEA re-stocks). The apartment looks and feels "lived-in" but certainly not complete.

-- I feel like an adult here. There's probably no way to say this without pissing off some of my friends in New York, but I think in some ways New York kept me from growing up. We were living in a hovel on furniture that had been found on the street or inherited from friends and family. Here, we have two cars and furniture that matches. It's not the possessions that matter to me so much but the aesthetic. Now we look like adults - we are surrounded by things that adults have and I really do feel "grown up."

-- The cats are conspiring against us. In New York Henry was barfy and itchy and bloody. We had hoped that the change in climate would help and in fact it has. But Mae has decided to start peeing outside the litter box...on the rug. She will go into the litter box to do #2, but won't use the box to pee. She is a strange, strange cat who is driving both of us a little batty.












-- This blog has not accomplished what I wanted it to. I thought keeping a record of what was going on out here would help me feel closer to all the people that I missed. Instead it has set up this strange dynamic in which people in my life may know what's going on with me but I don't know what's going on with you. The blog in some ways alleviates the need to call or write personally. Some people email when they read something they like, some people even use the comments, but I suspect (I hope!) that more of you are out there reading. I miss you! Please say hi. Please call, please write, please use the comments, but somehow let me know what's going with you. Hope you are well wherever you are!

**UPDATE** - I should also say that it is nowhere near as hot as expected. We don't use our A/C all that much, just fans. There are nice breezes and it's remarkably dry. I'm quite happy with the weather!