Oh wow, it has been a loonggggg time since I wrote! My apologies, things have been a little crazy around here.
Let me update you briefly on what’s been going on:
Work is good. Tony is giving me a lot of projects to start into and there are a few that I am really excited about. The first one is working with AmeriCorps NCCC and creating a partnership between them and the CCC. I know what you’re thinking “Lisa, aren’t you the partnership there?” LOL no, not quite like that. Although I am very helpful when it comes to knowledge about AmeriCorps NCCC, my main goal of this project will be to make write an agreement for both agencies to help corpsmembers advance into the Team Leader role more easily. I’m excited about this project, not just because I get to work with my current employer and former employers alike, but also because I will gain so many skills like formal presentation skills, formal and technical writing, and capacity building. Another project I will be working on is to hopefully create a video and presentation to fit into a corpsmember development course. The video will show corpsmembers a step by step process of applying for a job, interviewing, and going to work. This project is going to test my creative skills and help me learn more about computer software like Photoshop and Prezi.
Outside of work, things have been very busy! As most of you know, I drove down to visit Auntie Gail for my birthday weekend. It was only 5 hours (“only 5 hours?!”… 5 hours to me is nothing! I’ve driven across the country like 5 times now!) We had a lot of fun!! We went to her school BBQ, walked around San Luis Obispo, walked around Pismo Beach, hung out with friends, went to breakfast, went on a walk, we did so much and in only 2 days!! It was a great time and it was so much fun to be with family on my birthday!
Last weekend was also AMAZING. Saturday I was able to pack up most of my room at Mike and Tami’s, go to the farmer’s market, and take some time to relax before Sunday. On Sunday morning I sprung out of bed, too excited to sleep any longer. I had to be in San Francisco by 3:20pm to PICK UP DANA AT THE AIRPORT!!! WOOOOHOOO!!!!! BEST DAY EVER!!!! I thought I gave myself plenty of time by leaving Elk Grove at 12:00pm. It takes about 2 hours to get to San Francisco airport from Sacramento, but I needed gas and it was Memorial Day weekend, so I was being extra cautious. Luckily I gave myself an extra hour to accomidate for any hiccups I would hit along the way because as soon as I got to Oakland, traffic hit a stand still. In an hour, I went less than 5 miles. I was so annoyed. This was supposed to be the best day ever, now I was stuck in traffic, had to pee, my hair was getting frizzy, and there was npthing good on the radio, and to top it all off: Dana’s flight arrived 20 mintues early! I finally made it to the airport, said a quick hello before I sprinted to the ladies room- leaving my Mini illegally parked on the curb. Ahhh, I felt so much better so Dana and I hit the road back to Sacramento. We headed straight to our soon to be apartment (after a quick stop at In N Out for some burger-, animal style, of course). We met with our landlord Rich, Dana admired the place (good job picking out an awesome apartment, Lisa), we signed our lease and were given the keys. WOOHOO!!! Our apartment is a one bedroom, smack-dab in the heart of Midtown Sacramento. It has an entry room (like a mudroom, I guess?), a living room, a huge kitchen, a bedroom, built in storage, one bathroom, and HUGE windows- like biggest windows I’ve ever seen and some are so pretty and have stained glass panels. IT’S GREAT! Now… if only we could move into it…. After we signed the lease we took a short walk around the corner and found a cool German beer garden. We knew we had made the right choice.
Monday was a holiday so we were able to get a lot done. We went shopping for a new mattress and some living room furniture. We got everything we needed and set up delivery times. After we shopped til we dropped, we headed back to Mike and Tami’s for the night- we knew Tuesday would be a busy day, too. We were not wrong in our assumptions, although Tuesday turned out to be more fun than Monday. The first thing we did was head from Mike and Tami’s to our apartment to drop off some of my clothes that I wouldn’t need for the next few days. On Monday we had measured out all the rooms in our apartment, so Teusday we were able to just start shopping! We hit up Target (who doesn’t love a good Target trip?!?), Walmart, and then Ikea. NOTE TO ANYONE WHO IS EVER TRYING TO BUY THINGS FOR YOUR HOUSE: GO. TO. IKEA. First of all, make sure you block off like 3 days to go there because I’m pretty sure that is exactly how long it takes to walk through the entire store. And secondly, GO TO IDEA FIRST BEFORE YOU GO ANYWHERE ELSE!!! Rookie mistake, Dana and I went to Ikea last and what did we find?? Everything we had been looking for and everything we had already bought but at lower prices and cuter colors or styles. Needless to say, yesterday after work we spent our time returning things to Target and Walmart.
We walked out of Ikea after what felt like 4 days and were ready to build some stuff! We had bought a mobile kitchen island and a shelving unit that we needed to put together and we were motivated. We got back to the apartment, ripped open the boxes, scanned the instructions and- oh crap, we need a screwdriver. Luckily we have very nice neighbors below us who offered to lend us some tools, so we were able to build the kitchen island. It looks great and I can’t wait to chop so many vegetables on it!
I’ve been at work the past two days now, but all I can think about is getting everything settled into our new little apartment. Tonight is the first night we are going to spend there and tomorrow I’ll be able to walk or ride my skateboard to work.
I can’t believe all of this is happening. I feel like a real grown-up; getting an apartment, having an 8-5 office job, living in California. I have a lot to be thankful for and I know that I wouldn’t be where I am, excited about all the things in my life, it I didn’t have the support of everyone back home. I miss everyone a lot, but there is not a doubt in my mind that where I am right now is exactly where I want to be and where I am supposed to be.
I hope I’ll be able to write more once everything gets more routine. I have all these day dreams in my head about longboarding to work, building partnerships and getting CCC corpsmembers meaningful employment, longboarding back home, cooking all the great food I got at the farmers market, and drinking some craft beer on the porch of my apartment in Midtown with Dana. Yeah, that’s the life.