In My Own Little Corner, In My Own Little... Oh Wait.

Let me just prefice by saying this: I LOVE my little home. I live in the coolest apartment in Hollywood with the coolest roommate in Hollywood, and that is a fact. You know your building is kind of a big deal when people respond to your address with a, you live there?! (in an awe and inspiring way, not disgust or pitifully). It’s charming and adorable and I love it. I come home to an adorible doorman (or sometimes doorwoman!) whose only job is to hear my life stories and make sure no robbers find their way to my front door. I can live out dreams of living like How I Met Your Mother by visiting the pub/ restaurant and then go work off all the fries and treats in the gym, all without leaving my building.

We Love the Bounty!
And that they give us every
sauce under the sun.

It's gorgeously wonderful.

Being only 380 sq feet, my apartment is charming all in itself. It may not be the biggest room, but the view pretty well speaks for itself. And if that’s not quite enough, reading on the fireescape and being able to see the Hollywood sign and the Griffith Observatory is! 

Now, all of that being said, I can’t help but to feel like there are so many little things I should have appreciated a LOT more in Utah. So, for all of you with lives that you feel are medicore at best, check yours compared to mine, and appreciate any of the following things:

This is how I feel i look sometimes:
I found a parking spot! On the other end
of the world.

A Driveway. LA is known for crazy drivers and crazy traffic. I feel that as a current resident of this city, it is my responsability to add my car to the maddness. Unfortunately, my building has no parking. Instead, I pay rediculous amounts of money to park my car far away from my house or in metered parking, all the time. Even at work, I move my car literally every 2 hours so that I don’t have to pay oodles of money while I work at a job I don’t get paid to do. It’s borderline awkward how excited I get now when I can park somewhere for free, without fear of tickets and tow.

A Wendy’s that you can drive home from and still have hot food. Okay, this is random, but accurate. Today, I was so excited to go on a chicken run to Wendy’s. I haven’t been anywhere near there since before I moved and couldn’t wait to dive into the deliciousness. I grabbed it in the drive through, thinking how lovely it would be to eat at home! 7 miles and 40 minutes later. Cold fries. Melted frosty.  Dear Wendys so close to my home in Utah, how I miss thee.

A Microwave. What is sadder than cold Wendys fries? Having to eat them cold because you have no microwave. Or stove. Or oven. Or anything that radiates heat in any way. Make a list in your brain really quick of things to eat for real meals that you don’t need a microwave for, aside from cereal. Exactly.

I can't complain too much, however, because
sometimes lacking real food and furniture
results in dinners like this:
Air mattress to air mattress, chip to mouth.
We rock.

A Bathroom Door. Now oddly enough, I can’t actually say this is the first home that didn’t have a bathroom lacking a shuttable door, and it probably won’t be the last. I’m just lucky enough to have never lived with anyone awkward in these places. However, it is sometimes nice to not have to announce to the world, I’m changing, don’t open the curtain!

A chair. A chair. I literally eat my dinner on a pillow on my concrete floor. Sometimes, I get really excited when people have couches that I can actually sit on! A couch! Even a folding chair is really quite nice. Right after I moved in, we went to the store to buy important things. There was talk of buying lawn chairs for the living/family/eating/sleeping room, but I accidently had to buy those really awesome pillow chairs that are completely unpractical, yet so cozy. Like, I try to say, I don’t need a couch, I can sit in the middle of the floor with this instead! Sit back, fall. over. flat. sigh.




Now, as I said, this is not a complaint list, this is a be grateful for those things list. The awesomeness outweighs the little clamors of my time here by like 9,765,365,453,454. I love my life, my job, my friends and all the new adventures and experiences I'm having. It's also been this crazy amazing learning experience. I fell like I could make a list of new things I've learned, and everyday I could add lots more to it. Today's addition: gratitude and appreciation for things past had.

Just Singing in My Lifeboat

   Yesterday, after being rejected (again) to give plasma, I decided that a little shopping at Barnes and Noble would do my soul good. Well, that, and I didn't have to be to work for another hour and a half. I walked through the entire store five times, found a book for my father plus three for me before I decided I had spent enough time and money wandering aimlessly. As I got in line to pay, I found and bought one more book. I'm a total sucker for quote books and little nuggets of wisdom, so when I saw this little gem on the shelf, I couldn't resist some good words of advice and endearment.

 "Don't Forget to Sing in the Lifeboats."

   I can't help but to feel like I need a shirt or something that has this as my life slogan. Well, at least my life as of late. Now don't get me wrong, I love my life, it's awesome! But remember that part in Titanic, when everyone is just waiting to get on the lifeboats, and nobody knows what's going to happen and whether they are going to get on a boat or stand on solid ground ever again? That's pretty much where I have been. I think sometimes it's just too hard to see the bigger picture when it's far too easy to be focused on the little things. 

   Yet, with all that said, I've pulled back to see the bigger view. Am I getting married? No way. Do I have a major? Not even close. But I have my whole life to decide those things and get all that worked out. Here's the real thing I've learned in the past 6 months of my life, stress and panic attacks don't fix problems. They only aid in ice cream sales and maybe acne production. It's amazing how much my life has improved. I've taken a page out of Crush's book and now I just go with the flow, and it couldn't be working out better.

   With that said, spontaneity has become this crazy awesome thing in my life. I always think, "oh, one day I'm going to go here" or "one day, I'll do that." But along with releasing the idea that the world might end tomorrow if I don't choose I life plan today, I picked up the thought that I might regret today if I don't make the most of it.

 

The Lady Gaga

   For example, remember that solar eclipse the other day? Where I live, we are just a little too far north to have been able to see it properly (just to clarify, apparently you could still see it pretty good. I thought you couldn't see it at all... that makes this adventure seem less cool. It was really just as cool, if not greater, so don't be fooled.). However, located about 4 hours south was the epicenter of the entire thing and the primest of all viewing areas pretty much in the entire country. So, I called up my dear friend Jenny, jumped in the car and drove. We literally drove 4 hours to see the sun for 20 minutes. But it was the coolest 20 minutes ever. Some strangers at a gas station showed us (well, they did and we just copied what we assumed they were doing) how to see it properly ala Lady Gaga, and then I learned that reflections on camera lenses make it just as viewable without completely destroying your vision. Now, as if driving into Utah's desert for a half hour isn't spontaneous enough, we decided to keep heading south, feeling ambitious enough to head to Vegas for the evening. Well, as luck would have it, last minute plans are sometimes intercepted by premeditated ones, so one phone call later, we were headed back home as quickly as possible. 12 hours in the car in one day, only to be broken up by gas stations, solar ellipses and a bite to eat is not how I usually spend my Sunday evenings, but it isn't one I will surely forget. Sometimes, you just have to get home at 4 AM to appreciate a good adventure or to think, "man, we were really crazy that day."

   Basically, here's what I'm getting at: change is great and sometimes we all need a little more of it. New jobs, new friends, new surroundings, and most of all, new experiences. That being said, I feel a great big change on my own horizon. 48 hours ago, I was just debating about what to do with my summer, and now I'm packing and job hunting to the best of my abilities. I mean, sure, I've had two trips in the next two weeks planned out for awhile now. But moving to California right after? Not so much. And when I think about that, instead of freaking out about just how much I have to do or the fact that I'm going to have to navigate on all those terrifying freeways alone, I remember that I'm basically going to go to the beach every day, build forts every night, and probably watch Laverne and Shirley to my heart's delight, and then I realize, it's all going to be okay.

Adventure is out there!!

Another Day, Another Destiny

If you had asked me a year ago where my life was headed, whist maybe throwing something at you and demanding some assistance packing, I don't think I ever could have imagined this last year and where it's taken me. Old doors were closed- closed, hammered shut, burned, rid of; and so many new ones were opened (some side windows as well).

Disney World: Oh Disney World. The memories of that place will never be forgotten. So many adventures took place there and they will forever have a special place in my heart. The people I've met there will always be looked at as some of my best friends. Sure there were some low points and stress in abundance, but what else would you expect in the place where you have the responsibility to make someone's trip the most magical memory? Overall, I can't not look at this opportunity as a highlight of my entire life and I love so much that I got to experience it. Although it's ended and is done with, a little part of me wishes, every single day, for a group of fellow cast members to put our hands in and "call TLT on three!"

School: Oh school... it never ends. I mean, sure, I guess it would end sooner if I wouldn't take so much time off, (but come on, didn't you read the above paragraph? Feel the magic people, give me some sympathy points.) yet, I can't help but to have felt, at least up until now, that there was no hope for my future or ever graduating. I AM A SOPHOMORE!!! I can;t even express the joy I feel when I can say that I am officially no longer a college freshman, lost in the crowds of students. I'm totally almost done with my Associates (maybe cross your fingers for me on that one being checked off soon) and my major? Well, I'll let you know on that a little later.

Highlights and other accomplishments for my life recently, like as in the last year:

• I now eat tomatoes, who knew this day would come! 
• I learned to drive stickshift- at night, in an old crappy truck, on the curvy crazy roads of Plain City. Mission accomplished.
• I finally made it to another Disney park- which I then lived in for 5 months. 
• I conquered my phobia of skinny jeans. In fact, I'm wearing some right now! 
• I mastered pretty much the entire wheel of hair colors.
• I went to Disneyland far too many times, but loved every second of it. 
• I flew across the country by myself.
• I broke 100 in bowling. With no bumpers.
• I was in my first show at Weber State University! Play in a Day, best thing ever.
• I was diagnosed with a severe case of Beiber fever. It doesn't seem to be clearing up any time soon. 
• I learned that sometimes life is a little hard, but guess what? Things always work out, and it will always be okay.

Well now this list looks pathetic. I've done more in the last year than just this, haven't I? Of course. So instead of words, how about a nice photo collage! After all, one is worth a thousand words, right?

And as for life to come? New adventures are waiting just on my horizon. Interested in finding out what? Check out my other blog- other blog? Because I even keep this one updated. It's like I'm a schizophrenic or something, every personality needs a blog! Anywho. Here's the link: http://kellymakingadifferencedownunder.blogspot.com/


Adventure is out there!

Adventure Is Out There!!

So this whole "I'll keep a blog so everyone will know all the crazy awesome adventures I go on in Disneyworld!!" idea, epic fail. I can't even attempt to update this, because covering 5 months in writing is more of a comatose incentive than an interesting read. So instead, I'll just pretend like I've been doing really good and this is just another update. Anndddd action!

Just another week in Florida! You obviously know all about everything that is going on, what with my super updated and accurate blog here! The last couple weeks, there were some super epic advendures going on, which should most definately be shared!

 

It's amazing the insanity and exhaustion of family in town. Between my sister and brother-in-law, mom and Unni, and Ginny's family, I was in serious need of a vacation from vacation! Even though I was really not working and mostly playing, getting up to meet my psycho family 45 minutes before the park opens in really quite tiring, especially when you factor in that the parks open generally at 8, and I have to leave my apartment around an hour before I need to actually be somewhere. Add that to a cold, and some oversensitive work feelings, and that right there is a crazy vacation! However, once all was settled in, there was some hardcore and worthwhile family bonding, most definately worth the stress!

The same day that my mom and Unni flew out, Ginny's family came in! Talk about nonstop fun! I got to cross off a "Florida Must" with them by going to SeaWorld! Lots of shows, a possum, crazy roller-coasters and a flock of penguins later, I now know a couple things about SeaWorld: 1) they sell Dippin' Dots and other fantastic treats unpurchasable at Disney parks. 2) they stop selling said treats like at least an hour before said park closes. Next time I want Dippin' Dots, I'll just go to Lagoon instead. Take that, Shamu!!

After many epic attempts (and fails) at celebrating Ginny's birthday with surprise oreo cheesecake cupcakes, I finally succeeded (unless someone got food poisoning... then sorry!) in some truly homemade looking presents- lacking tape and wrapping paper really presents a challenge in birthday events! But hopefully the point got across that I'm not really the jerkface roommate that forgot her birthday!

Once the birthday celebrations were done with, it was truly time to get down to business. About a week earlier, I was perusing the internet and came upon the startling fact that the D23 Scavenger Hunt in Disney World had added more tickets recently, though they had long sold out. It took about .2 seconds to make up my mind. We'd done the one in Disneyland, why not take a stab at the one in Orlando? With the expertise help of my new "Soul Sister from the South", our team was established: The Wilderness Explorers!  Jennifer, Ginny and I set out to make fabulous costumes and take home the gold! After taking a trip to the men's section at the local wal-mart, we had our outfits. The next two days, our exhaustion and dehydration whilst running through the 4 parks was compinsated with compliments, photo ops and even a couple cast member stalkers seeking us out in our fabulous gettups! We even gained a reputation as "Those 'Up' girls"! Even though we kept getting

"Big Russell"
A.K.
Wilderness Explorer Stalker Extraordinaire

 mistaken for girl scouts, and got more than a few crazy looks, it was definately a great couple of days! In the end, we realized that we knew a lot more about these parks than we realized, and even though we didn't win, bragging rights and pictures are well worth the loss!

Three hours after finishing the scavenger hunt in Animal Kingdom, I found myself in a cab, on my way to the airport. I had barely enough time beforehand to buy more last minute souvaneers for my mother and pack before jumping into a waiting cab and rushing to airport. Unbeknownst to my family, I bought tickets earlier in the week to make it home for my closest cousin's farewell. Like I could let Logan move to Africa for 2 years without saying goodbye!

There was lots of special bonding and much needed catching up, a Justin Beiber conversion story (I have no comments on that...) and too many priceless surprised faces that are never going to be lived down. It's great fun to make fun of those stupid Master Card commercials that talk about prices and special moments and such, but really, it was the most worthwhile trip home I could have possibly taken.

While working and playing here is so much fun, nothing beats a good game of pounce, slurpies, and making mummy costumes with all my favorite people in the world!

Where Is That? Oh Yeah... We Need One.

Living on your own is kind of hard. I don't think I ever realized all the random and yet needed things that are laying around my house. I was trying to make cupcakes the other night, and I started realizing how essential that weird stuff is. So, next time you move out, make sure you have the following things that I don't have:

• Hot Pads- you would think, working in a hot kitchen all day, I would be a little safer about this. Yet, I've gotten some pretty nice burns at home attempting to take chicken out of the oven.

• A Kitchen Aid- life sucks without one of these. the end.

Things like cookies and other delicious treats
that should be fun and easy to make, are
suddenly very complicated when missing the
right tools!

• Dishwasher Soap- what is the point of having a dishwasher if you have no soap for it? There is none. Thus, it becomes another cupboard to keep dishes in.

• Baking Powder- though I finally did acquire some, this (and other odd cooking goods) are far more difficult to come by than I imagined in a small community of lazy college students.

• Milk- okay, this may be a little off subject, but seriously. I like feel like we should invest in a cow or something for how fast we go through it!

• A Frying Pan- moral of the story: anything that you should cook in a frying pan that you don't, will probably burn and ruin your pan.

• Normal Sized Bowls- this applies to pretty much everything: cups, bowls, plates; is there anything more annoying than cooking a small dinner and only being able to fit half of it on your plate, I highly doubt it.

• Dish Towels- paper towels have become my best friend. And they really really really suck. 

• A Mop- also included: broom and dustpan and a vacuum. Running down the street to borrow one from the clubhouse is pretty much terrible. So a sticky floor with icky hair is the repercussion.

I'm quite sure that if I actually went and looked through my kitchen for 5 seconds, I could quadruple this list. Don't get me wrong, I love my baby kitchen and the adventures that go in it. But moral of the story? When you live on your own and need something, suck it up and just go buy it. It will make life sooo much easier. Or, just don't move out. Problems are all solved then. :)

Oh the Woes of Florida

Florida. The Sunshine State. Home of the Magic Kingdom and all that that implies. So it's this great state with everything right? Wrong. I've been here for 33 days now and I'm utterly upset and downright pissed. Sure it's sunny, I go to a Disney Park pretty well everyday and I can wear shorts any time that I want, but that is not the point! Everyday, I look for one thing and have I seen it? No. You ask what has devastated this supposedly best move and experience of my life? Freaking alligators. I thought that they were everywhere here! I hear these stories of them being on the freeway, in backyards and living in every body of water, and that is all so false! I know that all of this talk of gators in Florida is really just a conspiracy theory covering... something up. I guess maybe with NASA? Who knows. But everyday I wake up with the same dream. It's not a complicated dream, nor is it even expensive or crazy. I just want to see an alligator chillin' in Florida, is that too much to ask??

A State of Mind

John Lefler, looking pretty
sober!

Bands and musicians are kind of a big deal. They pretty much just rule the world with their talent. And really, I mean, holy talent! I went to a Dashboard Confessional concert this week and had a very sad epiphany of my lacking musical talent! The first opening band was this one man band whose name was John Lefler (he is fabulous, go look him up right now!), he got on stage with his cup of... ahem, "water" and drunkenly ran around stage making hilarious comments before picking up his guitar and later going to the keyboard. I expected sheer chaos when he started playing, and though he forgot his words more than twice, he was amazing! This makes me ask myself, if a completely trashed man can get on stage and play beautiful music, why can't I while I'm completely sober? Maybe I should just get drunk and then try taking up a few instruments!

P.O.Glitt
Copyright Candace 

Now speaking of fabulous bands, Puddle of Glitter? Totally legit. It's this all girl boy band that I'm a member of, and we are totally awesome! Then again, when we all get together and start playing and singing, people probably think we are drunk, so could that maybe produce the same reaction as a glass of vodka? Who even knows. I think I'll stick to just being sober, but to all those bands who can just be crazy drunk and play so great, I've discovered your secret. It's all in the state of mind. I just don't need to be intoxicated to be as awesome as all of those famous people! Booze, smooze, I'll be famous AND sober!