Photo blog - moving day!

I wanted to share just a few photos to commemorate our crazy moving day, before we head out on the road to Brooklyn.  Of course, since we moved in on the hottest day of the year last year - it just is fitting that we moved out on one of the hottest days of the summer so far.

Words cannot express how much it meant to see most of my very best girlfriends in the last two days at Condo Perfecto.  Jennifer and her hubby Taylor (and adorable sons Adam and Charlie) came out Friday afternoon to pick up the dining room set, and they helped me move a behemoth armchair to the rental truck so I could drive it to a thrift store.  Tiffany, Julianne, and Tiff's sister Debbie came out Friday evening to pick up the "window couches," a huge and comfy down couch and armchair that has been passed on from Stephanie's mom to a few people along the way.  Hugs from Jennifer and Tiffany made my day.  Lauren and Candace came over Friday night and they were essential in packing and cleaning and moral support.  We really could not have done it without them.

Saturday morning Mom and Dad showed up with a dolly and ice cold water and beer, and with willing hearts and strong muscles.  Jamie also showed up, with delicious crock-pot green chicken enchiladas, which nourished us and kept us going.  Dad was the packing master - coordinating every little last Tetris piece of the puzzle and ensuring good weight distribution and securing our precious stuff.  He was soaked with sweat and had a few good nicks by the time he was done...  Mom cleaned and organized and kept cheering everyone on - our consummate cheerleader!

At the end of the day, there were plenty of tears and hugs as we said farewell to my bestest girlfriends and we drove away from one of the nicest places we have ever lived.  Farewell, Pasadena.  You have been awesome, but it's time for the next stop on my journey of life - NEW YORK CITY!

Oh, hello.

Mom and Dad outside of Condo Perfecto

Hoping this is enough room for all of our stuff

HERE WE GO!

Rufus soaking up the last lil bit of balcony time

My amazing support group and moving crew!  Candace, Megan, Mom, Lauren, Jamie, and Dad!

Rufus was pretty chill despite all of the ruckus

Dad feels good about the packing - he should!

We had JUST enough room for everything!

Refreshing "shots" of cranberry juice to empty out the fridge

Bye Bye

Today is our last day as residents of Southern California where we have lived for 29 and 32 years.  I hold onto my 29 for the last few days until I enter my fourth decade this Tuesday, July 2 ON THE ROAD.  There is something so incredibly poetic about exiting one decade and entering a new one while on the high road with my one and only sister as we conclude one chapter and begin another and make our way towards new and exciting adventures and new experiences in NEW York City.  New adventures for these changing harts.  =)

We left Pasadena effortlessly (well, not quite effortlessly; we had the unparalleled help of our selfless parents and our amazing supporting best friends), but we drove away with no emotions - other than the tears shed when saying goodbye to the besties - and only heartstrings forever attached.  We had been roommates  there in 'condo perfecto' for the past 10 mths. and it seemed to have gone by in the blink of an eye.  I swear we were just moving in........@#$%!  We left our former neighborhood and headed east on the 210 towards La Verne where we would spent the last night together under one roof, all six of us. (M, D, Annie the family pup, sissy, Rufus her kitty, and me).  With Kelly at the wheel and me in the navigator's seat, we said our inanimate places: "Bye bye Pasadena," said Kel. "Bye bye Old Town," I chimed in. "Bye bye Puddingstone, Duarte, Mt. Wilson, Mt. Baldy, Raging Waters....."  "Bye bye 210/57 interchange, bye bye La Verne 'L', bye bye family and friends and all we have come to know. Bye bye."  :::Note: 'Bye bye' must be said in creepy monotone voice, as I have coined this phrase and tone and Kelly now has worked it into her vocab in a friendly patronizing way.:::

Saying goodbye is not easy, especially when it is unknown when we will say 'hello' again. Two weeks ago I said 'bye bye' to my sweet pup Harper; while sobbing my eyes out, I gave to her a single Mom and her son who received her at first with timidity but quickly warmed up to her after she calmed down. First impression of Harper: barking her head off and baring her teeth ferociously from up in my arms at little Molly-dog down below that Janet's friend Laura brought with them in the car down from the Bay Area.  Down from the Bay Area they drove just for sweet Harper!  My gosh!  Another 'meant to be' that just ended working itself out.  The whole exchange process did not take long; Harper and I greeted her new family at the front gate, we went inside for introductions, we talked a little about her medical and home history, present state, belongings, and her future home. I then walked them down to their car, gave Jarren her new sweet little boy-owner the leash, and said a wet goodbye to the little furry bundle of joy that brought me such unconditional love and light to my life for the past 10 mths.  Coincidentally, my ex & I had found Harper running on Hacienda Blvd., a busy street by his house, in the same week that I was moving in to my new place with Kel.  After confirming with her that I could keep Harper (renamed Harper Lee from former name 'Harlow'), we took Harper in, fattened her up, loved her, tamed her in our own way, and prepared her for the next family that she would join 10 mths. later......hopefully this one for good, the sweet little precious foster pup.  =)  This was a definite goodbye.  This was not a 'see ya later' or 'see ya soon'.

Another definite goodbye I had to make was to my ex, Brett.  We broke up earlier this year after 5 1/2 years together......4 of those trying to make it work.  Saying goodbye to him, especially after getting back on good terms and leveling our thoughts and emotions, was incredibly trying.  Another sob-my-eyes-out-moment/s.  We went on one final frate (frate = friend date) to go see WWZ earlier this week.  Upon parting, we left each other's arms and each other's lives, knowing that that would be the last time we saw each other........indefinitely.  Even though we are not compatible as life partners, that man will always have a piece of my heart.  We shared some of the greatest adventures and experiences I have had in this life.  He will always sing to a part of my heart as well.

Some people come into your life for a season, a reason, or a lifetime.

Bye bye.

P.S.  I have time to write this post as we wait for one of the six tires on our Budget rental truck to be repaired in our parent's driveway.  Dad woke up this morning to do a comprehensive check on the truck before we head off, and he discovered not only filthy windows that needed to be cleaned (not good enough for his Daughters per his standards), as well as a soft tire!  Not quite flat, but soft enough for him not to be able to get a read on the tire gauge......damnit!  Thank God for our amazing, wonderful, caring, careful, precious, fix-it-man, manly man of a man and definition of how a man should be-Father.  I am confident this is the reason Kel & I are still single, btw, is because we have yet to find a man like our Dad.  Are there any like him left in the world?  Is this too much to ask?!  Alas yet liberatingly so (not a word, but whatever! we'll call these 'meganisms' moving forward.), we will now learn to live without our Mamika & Daddio and have to completely, entirely, independently and self-sufficiently live on our own.......until Pops (& Ma) come out again to help survey the lay of the land and tell us how to make things more efficient, that is.  =) This was yet another one of those 'meant to be things'.........thank you Lord.  Thank you that the flat was in M & D's driveway; thank you that it was the morning before we leave and that there is no rush to get into Flagstaff, which just so happens to be one of our shorter drive days.  Thank you Lord.  We listen and wait for you, your guidance and direction, your light on our path.

You CAN Teach An Old Dog New Tricks....

If I could block the audience for this post as you can on other social media channels, (well, IS this a social media channel/medium, or is it modern-day journalism? I always dreamed of having my own column..........), I would. And the idea in and of the action of doing so would simply break the heart of the one I would block because she would misinterpret it. However, it would be to protect her hypersensitiveness for which I have inherited that I can identify with the actions it requires to dance around this that makes me the more patient and empathetic ChangingHart.  =)

[secondary and totally necessary] Disclaimer: Mamika - if and when you do read this, please stop for a moment to remember how much I do love you and in no way would mean any hurt your heart. XO
(Those of you who know us know the ramifications of not inserting two disclaimers...........)

The 'older' we get, the more relaxed she is becoming with her standards.  Just today I was describing a former male colleague with whom I had identified with and was still connected to, and of course in her eyes would be a suitable mate (I imagine she does a quick analysis of all men I come in contact with for that at this 'point'.).  After my story concluded I p.s.ed that he has tattoos and motioned with my hands where they are on his body (having used to live in Santa Barbara meant that I saw a lot of acquaintances near-nude in their suits), she simply nodded and said, "Oh, okay".  But this time she did not make a face or noise of disapproval.  Hmm.  I think she may be broadening her myopic-ism in other 'discerning' categories as well....TBD.

But this my friends is progress.  Not only is this journey now referred to as our 'adventure', but our sub-journeys are now being accepted as well.  So perhaps the wisest thing always has been to walk to the beat of our own drum, to earn and to own that beat.  And then dance like nobody's watching. =)

P.S. Sissy what do you think of the 'new' font? 

Mission statement

I was watching Sex and the City (SATC from here on out), as NYC research of course, and if you have ever seen the show you know they have some great quotable material.  I heard something that touched my heart and was typing it up as Meg walked in after work and a hike, so I pressed rewind and played it again for her.  We both decided that this quote was a great mission statement of sorts for our move from CA to NY.

"Maybe, our mistakes are what make our fate.  Without them, what would shape our lives?  Perhaps, if we never veered off course, we wouldn't fall in love or have babies or be who we are.  After all, seasons change, so do cities, people come into your life and people go, but it's comforting to know the ones you love are always in your heart... and if you're very lucky, a plane ride away."
-SATC

I know I have made many mistakes, Megan might have made a few mistakes here and there, but along with our good choices, they have helped shape our lives.  Who knows where the next few years will take us, but I know in my heart of hearts that this is the path that we are meant to be on.  Fire strengthens steel, and we will emerge stronger on the other end of this crazy journey.  And also, there will be bagels and pizza.

Packing up

The packing process has officially gotten underway.  Condo perfecto is now condo tornado, because packing is a dang messy task!  Preparing to move across the country adds a new twist, because with everything I look at I think, "Do I really want to haul this 3000 miles?" 

 

In my 32 years, I have lived in 8 different houses/apartments, and New York will be number 9.  As I moved around southern California, I dragged along a lot of little tchotchkes, various art/craft supplies, miscellaneous doodads, and a ton of books.  If you didn't know, I love to read.  I don't read now as much as I did when I was younger (I think we all can say that), but I do have a lot of books that I love and cherish - and somehow I have a lot of books that I have no feelings about whatsoever.  I have not succumbed to the digital age, neither Megan nor I own a Kindle or a Nook or what I call "Fahrenheit 451 devices."  I'm afraid digital readers will lead to the demise of paper books, and I can't imagine a world without books.  Plus, I just love the smell of books.

 

When considering what books to bring to NY though, only a few made the cut.  In fact, between Megan and I we cut our book collection in half.  The rest we are giving to friends, selling to a used bookstore, and then donating to the public library.  Ditto with CDs.  As you can see, we have a LOT to get rid of - all of the stuff in bags on the floor is going, the stuff in the bookshelf is staying.

 

Keep in mind, we've already made a couple trips to the Goodwill donation center, and Megan's car is still full of stuff... 

Last night I took down all of the photos and stuff on the walls, that really made the place feel like it's time to move - rather than it's just a mess for no reason.

I put out the carrier that Rufus will be traveling in.  That's right folks, #Rufusthecat will be riding in style in the truck, right between us two gals.  I have a harness for him, and when needed he will be on a leash.  Yup, a leash.  On a cat.  I know, it seems ridiculous, but have you ever had to chase after a cat who is freaked out and in a strange place and then they're stuck under the bed or behind a huge couch and you are covered in dust bunnies and screaming all sorts of curse words and in the end nobody is proud of what they did.  So, the leash is my backup plan. 

And the good news is that Rufus has already been in the carrier and explored it and that is a good sign (for those of you who don't speak cat).

 

Of course, we wouldn't be the good daughters that we are if we didn't return some stuff to our dear parents.  That's right, Mom & Dad, this pile is for you!  Megan apparently hijacked a few things through the years (glue gun, tent), and then we know Mom would be sad if we got rid of things from our childhood (Ted E. Bear, white shelves, childhood knickknacks).

 

Even my scary hall closet of random junk is organized and ready to go.  You have no idea the amount of blackmail material that I have stored in those photo boxes...  Teenage years are fun to look back on, aren't they?

For those of you who don't know, cats LOVE boxes.  So basically, this process is not that bad for Rufus because he has an endless playground of boxes and containers and crinkly tape to play with.  And then sometimes he just enjoys just lounging in a box.

 

My goal is to get the common area and some of the kitchen packed up and ready to go.  We have less than 3 weeks until the big move date, and the more I can do now (and for Megan), the better.  Plus, the process of packing/purging really makes my brain happy.  I love organizing and order and puzzles.  I have realized that if I was a Friends character, I'd be 50% Monica and 50% Phoebe.  I'm half Phoebe because I'm wacky and I love singing and I have some bizarre stories from life (although I don't have a mean estranged twin sister... or do I?).  The other half is clearly Monica for so many reasons.  She used to be heavy and lost a bunch of weight (ditto), she has a place for everything and notices when something is moved (ditto), she loves to cook (ditto), ummmm what else?  I'd also like to be married to Chandler, if you really want to know.

So the boxes are stacking up, the packing tape is running low, and we still have a lot of furniture to get rid of and junk to sort through.  I shouldn't say junk, because we have nice things, but a lot of what we have are things we just don't need anymore or won't need in NY.  So, adios!

Paring down feels great, I feel as though I'm freeing myself from a lot of excess noise and clutter both physically and mentally.  Keeping what I need and sending what I don't need on to other people who will appreciate it more or get more use out of it.

I do have to admit, though, sometimes as I'm going through things, I stumble upon something so fabulous, so amazing, so unabashedly silly, that I have to sit down and hold my sides because I'm laughing so hard...

Nikki, me, Jamie, De'Andre, and Sunny on my impromptu birthday cruise to Ensenada, 2011.  What a trip!  Amazing.

Preparation/Pre-Separation Anxiety

Ay yay yay!  SO many things to do in preparation of the big impending and fastly approaching move!!! 'Time-Sensitive Things we have to do' aka moving circumstances/variables in order of importance:

1) Breaking the news to our parents, rest of family & friends. 
Check!  This is by far was the hardest thing we will have to overcome for this opportunity.  As Kelly says, "You just can't think about it."  And it's so true.  You simply cannot focus on the hardest aspects of it all, the ones that will linger in time, come around and hang heavy on your heart. That your Mom is not 30 minutes away when you need a quick fix. That the sound of her voice will have to satisfy the need for her....for another five months. You have never gone that long without seeing her in person.  You already knew this year was going to speak volumes.

1) Informing our landlords that we would be breaking out lease....and afterwards finding replacement tenant for our listing
...primarily to take over the 15 out of 23 mths we have left on our lease..........thanks to me for negotiating those terms to seemingly make us more competitive tenants.  Hey, something worked whether it be that or the 14-slide .ppt I created to tell a background story on my sister & I for when our landlords were deciding between prospective tenants, that we stood out.
Craigstlist - http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sgv/apa/3862020556.html

2) Adopted family for Harper
-Even though I have many options for her, this is anything but easy. For those interested in becoming Harper's new adopted parents, I get to consider an old colleague & her [still a colleague but aloof] bf, an interested lady & her son, friend from Bay Area; Area contender right now........

3) Selling cars (servicing, detailing beforehand)
- To sell to private party or not to?  That is the question.  After  much nail-biting,
CarMax it is!

4) Locating a new residence................CHECK!
Park Slope/Prospect Heights, Brooklyn here we come!!!!!!!
As a transplant from LA to NYC, choosing a borough let alone neighborhood to live in is mind-blowing.  Manhattan or Broooklyn? Queens or the Bronx? Uptown, Downtown, Midtown, Upper East, Lower East, East Village, Greenwich Village, Financial District, Chinatown, Little Italy, Bushwick, Park Slope, Prospect Heights, Brooklyn Heights, La Verne Heights?!  Oh wait, no, the latter's where we went to Elementary School.  After nearly having a stairwell-anxiety attack on my second to last day of a work/recon. trip to NYC back in May, with my sister and soon-to-be roommate in the same zip code and with the same mission, we put our heads together, racked up some listings in the Brooklyn area - after a week of romping around through Manhattan and deciding we wanted to be Brooklynites - the second place we looked at stole our hearts......and our pocketbooks.  8) We chose a gorgeous 12th story walk-through with northern views of the Manhattan skyline and east views of Prospect Park, JFK Monument at Grand Army Plaza, and the Brooklyn Library.


5) Deciding on a moving-execution option; + purging of personal affects

6) Dr. appointments + random 'ish to get done before the big move!

Zzzzzzzzzz

FOMO

FOMO = Fear of Missing Out

Do you have FOMO?

Are you always saying yes to invites subsequently obliging you, yourself and your plans, stretching yourself thin in order to be everywhere with everyone at all times? Are you a full-time party-goer from the time it begins until the time it ends in that you are one of the few guests left closing up shop and/or at times helping to set up?  Are you left wondering, late into the night, pondering the outcome of an event that you just did not have time to attend? Do you mentally beat yourself up for not being able to clone yourself and be in three places at once?  Do you forgo your night of short-distance marathon training because you were invited to an outing at the last minute?

Then you might have FOMO:

Symptoms may include:
- The tendency to say yes to dinner, drinks, or a happy hour invite although you have a hard-pressed date with the gym later. 
- The nagging feeling of jealousy which could progress into spite if you are unable to attend an event but you know people who are there?
- Last to leave the party even when your eyelids are clearly getting heavy or perhaps you have fallen asleep standing up/sitting up/maybe even laying down (some might refer to this as 'passing out', but I beg to differ).
- You attend all outings/events/soirees/shin-digs/hoe-downs/get-togethers/parties/kick-backs/meet-ups/meet-cutes/dates invited to such as dinners, lunches, breakfasts, happy hours, brunches, birthdays, anniversaries, showers, sprinkles, weekend getaways, stay-cations, vacations, goings out, out, and out again.
- The worst of them all: do you stay out until the EON (end of night), closing time, or the party's end time sometimes and most seemingly past your body's approval?

You are definitely not alone!  Although it may be worse than you realize.  But stop for a moment and think to yourself: what would you be missing out at that time of night anyway?  What good really is going to occur after midnight?  Nothing.  Nada.  Zilch.  Zero.  Nil.  Pack yourself up, politely say thanks and farewell and see yourself to the door.  The creature in you does not need to come out and you do not need to see the other creatures.  Goodnight and good luck. 

I used to be like that and I am still recovering from a few of those symptoms.  But it gets better with each day, each party, each passing year of wisdom.  I turn 30 in less than a month and so begins the reflection.

Caught in a whirlwind

So... it's been a lil more than two weeks since our last post.  Whoops!  Life is always wonderfully crazy and busy, but there has been a LOT going on lately and it's like we got caught up in a whirlwind.  Here's just a peek into what has been happening since our trip to NYC:

• Megan went up to Big Bear and stayed at a cabin with friends to celebrate one of her BFF's 30th birthday.  Happy Birthday, Kelly B!
• I ran from our apartment to the Rose Bowl, around the Bowl and back up a hill to our place.  9 miles in total and I felt alive and healthy and amazing afterward!
• I drove to San Diego to celebrate my cousin Jessie's graduation from Cal State San Marcos.  She's the youngest cousin on my Dad's side, she is beautiful, creative, quiet (or quieter than the rest of us cackling hens), and a true joy to be around.
• My BFF Candace's daughter Madison is turning 9 (today actually, Happy Birthday Maddie!), and we celebrated by going to Disneyland!  It's a treat seeing Disneyland through a child's eyes, that place is truly magical and so much fun.
• My BFF Jamie married the love of her life, Tony!  It was almost a week long string of events, and deserves some sub-bullet points...
• BBQ at J&T's house to meet what I called, "Tony's Yeehaw," his older brothers Jackie and Brian, and his best friends Brad and Coy aka TJ.  I walked into a house full of testosterone and beer and thick Texas accents, and I somehow felt right at home.
• Rehearsal at the venue (tears started already) and rehearsal dinner at the infamous Buckhorn Lodge up in Mount Baldy.  Mrs. Unruh performed for us, along with the fantastic band.  The Lodge was set up beautifully and we had a fantastic time.  I also found out that Brad (the best man) sure knows how to twirl a girl around while two-stepping to some country tunes.
• Girl time: getting our nails done, lunch at a delicious Mexican restaurant - Los Jarritos in Pomona, and then dancing and reminiscing at the Brandin' Iron in San Bernardino.  Jamie even rode the bull!  We stayed at Rose's place in Colton so the boys could take over the house for Tony's bachelor party.
• Lots of last minute errands, topped off by a nice Cuban dinner and then sleep over at Jamie's the night before the wedding.  The boys were banished to a local hotel so there was no co mingling during the couple's last night as singles.
• The big day!  Primping and laughing with mimosas, getting dressed up in our gorgeous dresses, and arriving at the venue - the beautiful and historic Lindley-Scott House in Azusa.  An awesome gal that we know from high school, Meghan (Leff) Wiesman of Meghan Wiesman Photography, was the photographer and along with her assistant they did an amazing job!  The ceremony was gorgeous, we had fun taking photos outside in the garden, and the reception was SO much fun.  I made it through my speech with just a little bit of nervous shaking (my champagne flute was shaking but I didn't spill!), and then we danced allll night long.  I didn't take a lot of photos because I was making sure Jamie had the best week and day of her life, but there will be photos in another post to come, once I get them all...
• Brunch and opening presents at Chateau Sherwood, the newlyweds spent their first night together at a lovely local hotel, and we celebrated and relaxed together the day after.  We also bid farewell to the Texas contingency as they headed home.
• We woke up bright and EARLY Tuesday morning, and I drove the happy couple to the airport so they could catch a flight to Miami, FL and then on to St. Lucia in the Caribbean for a week of sun and tropical drinks.  Followed up by a couple weeks at family reunions in Texas/Oklahoma with Tony's family, and they'll be back in Cali eventually.
• A couple phone interviews as I continue to look for a job in NYC - probably not in the finance industry.  I love helping businesses solve problems and grow, but I don't know if I want to discuss lending rates or fees ever again.  We'll see.
• Baby shower for our cousin Randy and his wife Cheri as they celebrate their second child, a baby boy!
• Megan and I ran in our first half marathon - the San Diego Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon - and we completed it!  Our official time is 02:43:19, which is pretty dang good considering neither of us had run any sort of distance even a year ago.  Our cousin-in-law Will also ran with us, and he had a great race too, coming in at 01:48:47!  Our Mom drove down the night before and was there on the sidelines cheering us on and then at the finish line too.  It was great to see her smiling face there, along with our aunt Elaine, uncle Terry, cousin Robin, and her two bambinos Molly and Thomas.  My BFF Tiffany and her good friend Julianne came down and surprised me at the finish line!  Tiff and I had come down to San Diego years ago to cheer on another of the BFF crew, Stephanie, as Steph ran her first half marathon.  So Tiff just had to continue the tradition, and Steph was there running with me in my heart and cheering me on in spirit!  Meg and I crossed the finish line together, and it was truly a momentous occasion.

Kelly in purple and Megan in yellow - we crossed the start and finish line holding hands!

 

 

We've been crazy busy, as you can see... and in the meantime Meg's been working, I've been looking for jobs and posting information about our apartment and furniture that we're trying to get rid of, and we've been going through our stuff.  We have a lot that we will donate to the Goodwill/Salvation Army and then a lot of stuff that hopefully we can give to friends/family, like plants and pots and craft stuff.

 

Now that all of the events of the past few weeks are done with, it's full steam ahead for the move to NYC!  Roomie Matt is officially in "Bespin," what we're calling the new place in Brooklyn.  It's on the 12th floor so it's like we're in cloud city!  He has been great, getting all of the utilities and whatnot set up.  Matt's furniture arrives on Friday, so he'll be able to settle in and get situated before us Hartman girls arrive in early July.

 

There's a lot to do, and it can be very overwhelming, but if Megan and I take it step by step and keep communicating well, we can accomplish anything!  If we ever doubt that, we just have to look at the photo above to remember...