Jiggsaws Falling Into Place

I realized in the shower today (where most of my good ideas originate) that I hadn't updated in a couple days since my rather grim post on my first night. Things are slowly progressing here. I'm getting to know a couple of the guys here, and getting a little more settled.

There's quite a cast of characters who live here. Alot of them are pretty cool. Played a rousing game of Spades last night with a few of them. I went to a cool bar/club in West Hollywood called The Abbey. It's certainly not like places in Seattle. Four bars in this place, open air seating, it was pretty cool. Oh, it's also a gay bar. We tried to get into a couple other places, but of course you have to be too cool for school to get into half of these places, and I am morally against paying cover, but it was a fun little introduction into LA Night Life.

Saturday was a bit more rough. I had a really bad headache all day, that was only made worse by choosing that day to give up caffeine. Not a good idea. I've seen the error of my ways. I'm back chasing the dragon.

Yesterday was pretty low key, just kinda hung out. Got to know a couple of the guys a bit more. I feel like putting descriptions of some of them here, but I feel like they wouldn't do them justice, and sound more like labeling than describing.

I went into the Outback today to apply for a job. They are really snobby at this place. I feel more like I'm applying for a heart transplant than a job. But, I think my experience speaks for itself, and I'm fairly confident I'm going to get something, whatever that might be. I told the boss man that I planned on walking to work, he looked at me like I was crazy. It's only a half hour walk. Less than that if I try to book it. People here are so against walking. I will admit that everything here is sprawled out all over the place, and getting downtown is a pain, and I would love to have a car, but for the time being, I'm sticking with my feet. They've done right by me, and I plan on sticking with it. It's only two miles. That's like nothing. But anyway, it's certainly a different way of life.

When I got back from my interview, I jumped in the pool for the first time today. It's hot out, but the pool is freezing! It was refreshing though.

I must admit that I do really like it here. The weather, the atmosphere. Admittadly I live in Suburbia Central, but I love how the air smells like honeysuckle right now, and the palm trees are definitely a nice change. I hear it's snowy and freezing in Seattle right now. I'll take this weather every day of the week.

I still very much miss people and places in Seattle, and there's still an outside chance that if this job doesn't work out, I might find myself on a slow boat back to the Northwest, but I'm gonna give it the best shot I got out here, and I'm hoping that things continue to progress for me.

I did a little writing on Sunday, which felt good. I really want to buckle down and focus on my writing, but I think that getting settled in takes priority at the moment, but it's good to know that I still got it. At least in my own mind. Which is where it matters most at the moment. We can work on the Studio Execs later.

Brian got into town on Friday. I'm gonna get a lift into Hollywood this evening and we're gonna meet up. It will be good to see a familiar face in a strange place.

I've been really good about eating in. I went to the Grocery store on Friday and bought a bunch of supplies that I've been living off of, although my Dora The Explorer Saves the Snow Princess Fruit snacks are almost gone. Crisis mode. I think I've already lost a little weight. I'm sure not eating out two meals a day has to be good for me. Speaking of food, I think I'll go make myself a sandwich. Wish you were here.

The First Night

Isn't going so well. I feel really sad. I miss people that I know. But I am loving the weather, but that's about it. Ben picked me up from the Airport and gave me a little driving tour of the city. He also managed to lock his keys in his apartment when we stopped by there, so we killed some time at the Farmer's Market until his roommate got back. The LA Farmer's Market isn't too bad. There are a couple cool open air bars, which obviously cannot exist in Seattle, but it definitely wasn't as cool as Pike's Place Market. Things were going ok until I arrived at my place.

I should have expected that it couldn't have been all that great, but I didn't. It's out in the middle of nowhere. Well, not NOWHERE, but certainly nowhere near the city. It's hard because we went from Ben's place which is right in the heart of everything, to my place, which is like twenty minute drive north of the city stuck in total suburbia. The house smells funny, the "Manager" seems totally sketchy to me, and no one in the house seems that nice. I'm sharing a bedroom with 8 other guys. I knew about the shared sleeping arrangement, I guess I just didn't know it would be this bad. We'll see how things look tomorrow, but right now I am definitely eager to get out of here, but that just puts my job and living situation in jeopardy again, which just stresses me out more. Two steps forward, three steps back.

I'm sure alot of it is just transition and change and being overwhelmed and all of those things, but I'm definitely second guessing myself a bit. Ugh. Anyway. Hopefully things will look better tomorrow. It will be good to have Brian around. Even if it is just for a week.