Back to Westside
It's been two weeks since I've returned back to Los Angeles, and it's felt like a long two weeks.
Summer has hit, in all its mind-numbing glory. To be complete, I think I need to exercise and maintain several aspects of myself...
Mind - which means I need to read, a lot, and talk to people, a fair deal. I have a tendency of forgetting how to talk during the summer. It's not very abnormal to me; it happens on an annual basis.
Body - ...which means I need to buy a bike. I'm too utilitarian to run around in circles, or to nowhere at all. I actually live very close to a good number of places (Target, restaurants, Guitar Center...which means nothing because...)
Finances - As in restraining or abstaining from the usage of...no more impulse buys. I also need to live with the fact that I simply don't have any room in my current apartment for something wonderful like a reading chair or art station.
Discipline - I'm feeling it in my posture and in my drowning fatigue. I'm more tired now than I am when I'm working, though "tired" isn't quite the word. It feels like my mind is sleepy in the summer, fatigued but quick during the year. My back, too, is hurting more and more, probably because I'm slouching in my chair...or just sitting in my chair. I don't really sit well, or for very long. It's a change that I don't like. I understand why folks who work desk jobs feel the itch to run miles and miles.
I've also made a sort of promise to myself that I would only play as much as I work, that it would be a divided into equal parts. It's really easy to play for hours and hours, lose track of time, and lose a day...which is what I've been kinda doing. SHAME ON ME!! But I also quickly fall back on, "It's SUMMER! I'm on VACATION!" But life, it waits for no one.
Some things I've done these last two weeks (more for me, as a record of what I did...):
- Took Grandma grocery shopping at Hong Kong Supermarket, because I needed to make food for Will. I'm recording this because Grandma always claims that she hardly ever has a chance to go grocery shopping. I wonder how much food she wastes; she goes a bit crazy, as if she's stocking up or she'll never have an opportunity like this for months.
- Made curry for Will, too much of it. REMEMBER!! 4 carrots, ONE potato, 1 lb of meat, 1/2 to 1 onion. Will and Mom couldn't finish their share, and I ate curry for three days...bleeeeeeeh.
- Dishes, laundry, garbage, sweeping, scrubbing...today was fairly productive. I cleared off one of my desks (three more to go...), which gives me a sense of accomplishment! I can start drawing now, if I want to, since I have a work station now.
- Settled money matters between the Student Bank and Yearbook, closed books for this fiscal year.
- July 4th Fundraiser was a lot of work and a bit odd. Auntie Dora wanted to have my mother's birthday lunch that day, which did not work out well. The fundraiser itself seemed like more work than it was worth. The booths and participation in them was smaller than I had expected; in my mind, I had thought of a sort of Farmer's-Market-type set up. The students had fun though, I think, so if they want to do this again, we'll go into this in as wise veterans next year. I think what was most surprising was Smart-and-Final during July 4th...MADNESS!! I've also NEVER seen a place sell out of 20 lb bags of ice until now. Both locations that I go to sold out by around 1 pm. Thus, BUY ALL INGREDIENTS BY JULY 3RD!
- Met up with Kristin, Andy and Gary. Andy and I watched "Wall-ee". Andy, Gary and myself, we were going to watch "Wanted", but time ran out. Instead, we indulged in Rockband. Will and I had bought it earlier this past Saturday. It's a lot of fun! Neither of us will sing; it WILL NOT HAPPEN! But I'm doing OK with medium, on the drums (3-5 stars). Not bad for 3 days of playing.
- I moved Bill back from home to home. WOOOOOW...Feliway did NOTHING. He kept whining so much that I just waited (him in the car, me with a book standing behind the car) for him to finish screaming his lungs out, before attempting to move him. That didn't work! Instead, he had the bright idea of soiling himself, which means...yup! A BATH, to top off the already traumatic day. The moment he's done eating his treat, what does he want? To be petted and loved...while he's soaking wet. I turn around and he's already lounging on my bed, atop my pillow. Grand. I did brush off enough fur to form a mini-Bill, so that might have been why he actually enjoyed his post-bath self.
- Andy, Gary and I went to see the Ameriana in Glendale, which is much like Santana Row. It's an interesting place to be, when the weather is mild outside. There was an outdoor band, trolley car, sandbox and play area for children, plenty of shops, and across the street from the Glendale Galleria, just in case you want to walk in air-conditioning instead of staying outdoors, in 90+ degree heat.
- Booked a flight to Seattle. Will's going to China. Then I leave for Vegas. It's going to be an interesting summer.