We're Not In Portland Anymore Todo...

Today I went to the DMV to renew my drivers license. It will be expiring pretty soon, and since Kevin and I have been married for a year and a half, and my name has legally changed with the SSA, I figured my i.d. card ought to reflect that change. As I sat waiting for G027 to be called I looked around and saw that I was the only white person. I realized that Pasadena and Portland are polar opposites- culturally speaking. I also felt thankful for growing up in California, otherwise that could have been a potentially threatening situation, but instead I nestled down between a huge Mexican guy with a tattooed neck, and a small Vietnamese man who stared at me for the duration of both our waits. And I felt comfortable.

Otherwise it was a typical DMV visit, complete with cranky DMV employee. She talked to me like I was a moron. After I could not hear one sentence she opted to yell all further instructions at me, while rolling her eyes and sipping on the straw of her BIG-GULP. After I handed over my filled out form, and current license she told me she would not change my name without official documentation- I slid my marriage license through the window. She told me that I needed to first change my name with the SSA- I told her I had. She seemed especially annoyed that I was so prepared. I slid $30 through the window before she could tell me the fee was $28. She sighed and stared at the $30. I am sure she was thinking- "why couldn't this girl muster up a 20, a five, and three ones." I was thinking- "I never carry cash, and I hate writing checks." We stared at each other for a moment. She told me she had to get change and stomped away from her desk. After she returned with my $2 she sent me to camera B for my new photo.

I swear the next step is such a mystery, you sign that stupid electronic pad hoping that it somehow resembles your name (it never does). Then you stand against the bright blue backdrop and smile not knowing when the camera will snap your picture. The DMV photo guy says "thanks, you're done" with this smirk on his face as if to say "I just took the worst picture of you that you can even imagine." And for me, so far that has always been true.

Please Make Your Way...

To my mom's blog if you would like to see our Pasadena home.

Parents in Pasadena

This morning Kevin, my mom, my dad, and I went to Old Pasadena for breakfast. On Saturday night we read a menu in the window of Le Pain Quotidien (daily bread) and decided we would check it out the next morning. While we waited for a table my mom said "that man sitting by the post looks just like John C. Reilly." Not only did it look like him, it was him. He was just relaxing with his kids eating some bread. I was slightly star-struck, because I think he's a pretty great actor. But we opted not to stare, or smile strangely at him or his kids (always a good option). So, two months in the L.A. area and we had our first celebrity sighting. I am glad it was not someone weird, or dumb.

My parents stayed with us this weekend, yes in our tiny studio (pictures to come soon). It was a fun adventure- not one I am sure they will ever agree to again, but fun nonetheless. We got to see more of Pasadena, eat some very very good food, and just relax. Thankfully, the weather here has completely reversed from last weekend. On thursday we had thunder and lightning, and during their stay the weather has been in the sixties.

Tomorrow morning I have an interview at 8:30 a.m. so, if you read this, and you think of it- you could pray that maybe this would lead to a job!

Free-Lance

Yesterday I got an e-mail with good news. Sometimes, when you are looking for a job, and there seem to be none in sight, good news can totally change your day. The e-mail was from the editor of a magazine. Sometime during the fall months I sent a manuscript to a magazine, and she just wanted to let me know that they are buying it! So, come October 18, my article will be the cover story for the magazine. So I am pretty happy about that. Keep in mind that for every one story a writer gets published there are about four others that have been rejected.

Can't Take the Heat?

I think I am a HUGE wuss when it comes to weather. These past two days have been hot, hot, hot here. And I am such a little baby about it. I woke up at 3 a.m., too hot and proceeded to throw a tantrum about how hot it was even with a fan on me. When I got out of bed this morning I was ready to kill because of my discomfort. It's sad because I grew up in California without AC but back then I could lay around all day in the dark eating otter pops. Anyway I guess I am just adjusting, and it's only May! We thought about putting a baby pool in our apartment, I can't think of any problems with that, can you?

I Can Be Joyful, I Will Be Joyful

My husband shared these verses with me this morning.

Habakkuk 3:17-19
"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights."

Psalms 73:21-26
"When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you. Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."

I hope they encourage you today, as they encouraged me.

Why We (ought to) Keep Our Dreams to Ourselves

I've always been a dreamer. Not in the sense that I lay in fields imagining myself as an astronaut, or a broadway performer. I dream during sleep to the point that at times I wake up exhausted from the story lines I have followed throughout my sleeping hours. Kevin frequently listens to me share my dreams with him in the morning as I add more and more of the details I recall. I have recurrent dreams, I have dreams that continue from night to night.

On Sunday morning (mother's day) I woke up after having the dream I mentioned in my previous post. I thought it was cute. That is all. I did not intend to encourage (or pressure) anyone into wanting or having children. It was just a dream that to me- followed the theme of mother's day. Have kids, don't have kids, it's up to you. I have no opinion on how anyone else should live their lives.

And I can live with that dream being "about me." Actually, to me that is not a negative thing. I am not about re-editing, or censoring my material so, feel free to pretend that I had a dream that I was pregnant. A dream I do have at least once every few weeks. I doubt that is shocking to anyone who knows me.

Mother's Day

Mom, I can't see you today, and because I wish I could send you flowers today I wanted to show you the flowers I would send.

Sorry the card I sent is late :(
I hope you do have a really wonderful day today.

Kristin, Happy soon-to-be-Mother's Day! I can't wait to meet the little cutie who is kicking the heck out of your tummy.

Nancy, Happy Mother's Day, I could not ask for a better mom-in-law.

And to my sisters (Stepha and Whit) I had a dream last night that one of you announced you were pregnant... I'm not telling who.

When Did This Become a Destination?

Kevin and I drove 28 miles today to do our grocery shopping. Simply to get to a store that used to be about 3 miles from our apartment in Portland. It's true, we spend time and gas to save money. But WinCo's prices seriously cannot be beat. This was our second trip since we've moved here, and it's worth it every time. Because we live downtown, and because gas prices are ridiculous, and because we ARE in a recession (I mean come on) food has gotten much too expensive. When I tried to pick up a box of wheat thins and they were $4 I had had enough.

Now my pantry is full and so is my husband's tummy. Today (unlike yesterday) I do not have to negotiate in my mind whether or not Kevin will accept green beans, and cheese for dinner. I would, but his appetite is a little bigger than mine. So every few weeks we will have a saturday that revolves around driving to pomona to go to WinCo. And I even get to buy some Swedish Fish from the bulk aisle.

(not so) Multilingual

I never could have guessed that being an English speaker would be considered such a negative, in America. As I look for jobs I find myself prepared to submit a resume when I read that dreaded line "Spanish or Mandarin, speaking and reading REQUIRED." At times like this I do wish I were multi-lingual.