unofficial essay titled 'the truth about moving to a new city.'

I've been plotting to write a new essay titled "The Truth About Moving to a New City".

As you can see, I've decided to sit my ass down finally do the damn thing. However, if my honesty may have shotgun as usual, I'll go right on to admit that now wouldn't be the most fair of times to give a wholesome packet of insight. Nope, nope, nope. Certainly not as I lay pathetically in the Boston Cream center of what many have dubbed, "the homesick phase" in this little big city move of mine. 

I haven't moved very much from my bed the last few weeks. No, I'm not dying. And yes there was just like this huge Hurricane (which by the way really deserves the entire spotlight in any post at the moment. Praise God, I'm safe and ok. Also Happy Halloween.), but Sandy can only be held responsible for the last few bedridden days. As for the weeks preceding the storm: I've been in a monstrous funk.

Perhaps my on-again/off-again mild depression is to blame for this. Or exhaustion. Though I don't really think it can be that anymore, as I've certainly gotten myself caught up on sleep. I think it's just straight up home-sickness. Mixed in with what I like to call the mid 20s blues. You know, the whole... I'm 25-that's-five-years-away-from-thirty-and-I'm-completely-single-and-still-waiting-tables-with-like-not-very-much-money-in-my-checking-account-STILL-and-living-on-the-other-side-of-the-country-miles-and-miles-away-from-home-WHY-no-but-really-WTF-am-I-doing-in-New-York-City.

Eh, maybe that's just my own bullshit I'm spitting.

All I'm trying to say here is, the last few weeks have been very hard. Though I can feel proud and relieved to say my pockets are more financially stable, my mental and emotional state are having some problems. Lord knows I know it, but I've been escaping it all by hiding in bed with my Netflix and candy.

*ahem* Walking Dead and Hart of Dixie. Can I just say: I freaking love Rachel Bilson. 

As a result of this, I've gained a whopping ten pounds and have been dealing with said facts by doing nothing more than...eating more. Damn you, Maxim Cover, I don't think we'll be hanging out anytime soon. 

Needless to say:

I miss California. 

I miss freeways and driving in my car.

I miss driving my car especially after work when all I want is a little peace and quiet and direct control of how quickly I'd like to get home. In other words, not getting out of work at nearly 2 a.m. and having to walk blocks to the train station and then wait half an hour for my train to arrive only to get onto the one car where some homeless man threw up all over himself. Or the other car that is crowded with drunk hooligans migrating to their next Friday night event, screaming in my ear as if that's the sort of treat I'd like to follow my long evening of playing the patience game with the diners of New York City.

I miss not worrying about having to carry an umbrella all the time or buying ANOTHER one because I forgot mine again, or because the one I did remember to bring got STOLEN at DSW while I was trying on shoes. (Yeah that happened.)

I miss 70 degrees, all day every day. It's not even cold yet, and I'm freezing.

I miss the comfort of having a space that is mine. Not someone else's. Mine. With my things, my books, my DVDs, my pillows, and no calendar to remind me that I have ten days or less to pack up and find a new space to momentarily crash. 

I miss my friends. All of them. My OC friends. My LA friends. My hometown friends. And you guys-my blog friends. Truly, it's been so sad to have lost my rhythm with this blog and to have not been able to connect with all of you as much as I was able to before I came out here. I've just been up and down and everywhere in between with everything lately, it's been hard to keep up with all of this. Thanks for  sticking around despite my absence and for checking in. It really means more to me than any of you could ever know. Seriously, cause I have this huge fear of people forgetting about me. Which is a conflict of interests when my nature is to move around a lot, and away from people I've grown close to.

Mostly I miss my family. 

My sisters. Those biatches are my best friends, and it sucks to not be able to get fro-yo with them whenever the day calls for a good large cup of Yogurtland. 

I miss hugging my parents. 

I miss my little brother.

I miss Kevin at the gym.

I miss the fact that I was getting really freaking RIPPED there for a minute, like seriously- I WAS IN THAT GYM almost every day. 

Now I'm paying $90/month for a gym out here that I never go to because it's just a downright hassle getting to and from ANYWHERE in this city, and for the first time I'm really struggling-like really struggling- to adapt. 

Yes, that's an awful lot of bitching right there, I know, but my overall point was to simply state the following.

The truth about moving to a new city is that... it ain't easy. 

Any mama or papa could have let you in on that little secret already, but I'm here to confirm- it's ain't. Especially a coast to coast move. I'm the furthest away I've ever been from everything I know and everyone I love.

And ya know what. Lately, I've been feeling just downright foolish for it. Foolish for coming out here simply to live-not for school or for corporate America, but for me. Because I wanted to do something crazy and different. And while I do celebrate my triumphs, I feel guilty and sad when this choice has come with missing out on other things. Like my good friend's wedding and the holidays at home, and my mom's 50th birthday which is approaching in December. I'm missing these important things in life.. things that aren't going to happen twice. And for what? I start to second guess my decisions to come out here and in those moments I feel stuck and helpless. Suddenly, looking up and tapping my feet at the tall buildings isn't enough. I miss home. And I feel lost all over again.

But then I try to remember that I'm suppose to be feeling all of these things. That I can't be everywhere at once. That holidays do in fact come around every year. That my friends do forgive me for being miles away, (I hope). That my mission was in fact to challenge myself. That coming out here simply "to live" was not something to feel foolish about, but rather proud of. Because how many young folks really get up and move across the country just on the desire to go somewhere new, even when they were perfectly fine where they already were. 

And the great thing to remember: That I can go back any time I want. Next week if I wanted to.

But I won't. Because I've worked really hard to get here, and I owe to myself to at least stick around a little longer and see what comes of this city. To really take some deep breaths, get out of bed, enjoy what this city has to offer (which is A LOT) and then come home and practice my discipline, rain or shine, to sit down and blog about it. Because even in my absence here, you guys continue to write to me and reach out to me and show interest in what I have to say and how I'm doing. And I want to share as much of this journey with you as I possibly can.There's been so much I've left out. A lot of which is much happier and cheerful than everything I've presented here this evening. As promised: A shoutout to S, who has absolutely been my best friend in this city-- I can't wait for you all to meet/read about my Bronx buddy who's been so wonderful and fun :)

It's a new month, and almost a new year soon. 

Consider this a head start to writing a new normal. And eventually an official essay titled "The Truth About Moving to a New City." Along with a new series of frequent posts. Seriously. Bring on the bloggy. I'VE MISSED YOU GUYS!

P.S. The aftermath of this storm is quite devastating for many. Lots of homes have been lost and damaged, many are without power still. I'm kind of a dick to even be complaining about anything right now-I suppose Sandy has helped me realized in ways that I need to stop feeling sad and sorry for myself, go outside and make the best of a situation that yes, is challenging, but far from terrible. I apologize for any insensitivity this post brings to everything going on outside of my own personal bubble. 

final west coast holiday.

Holidays are very nostalgic. At least for me they are. I always seem to make it a point to either discuss or make a personal mental note to myself of what exactly it was I was doing the year before on whatever holiday it is I'm celebrating. Where I was. What I was wearing. How I was feeling. Who I was with. Who I wasn't with. The reflections are often tender, as for me, I've found myself in places quite different from one year to the next.

Last year, for example, I was hiking in the Laguna Canyon with my friend Kendal. We ended up walking a good five miles post hike to get to what I thought was the nearby beach (ha, my sense of distance can be so terrible.) I remember I took a long nap after that, and then just hung out at home by myself for the evening. Sounds sad, but it was actually quite nice. A gentle calm before the storm to come in the months after. At the time, I was getting ready to move out of my beloved college Irvine apartment into a home in Dana Point to be closer to my restaurant job where I had been recently promoted to management. It was a month filled with stress, fear, and excitement. My college era was over, and I was starting a new chapter in my Orange County adventures: The one where I was a full-time working CAREER WOMAN! I had high hopes. And at the time, I thought it was exactly what I wanted for my 24 year old.

Until I realized it wasn't.

It took a few months for that realization to show up, and then a couple more months to act on it. But ultimately it got me here. Back in Ventura. And basically, it's just crazy how much can happen and change in one year.

I have no idea what next year's Fourth of July will look like. (Or all the days leading.)

But this year's was great. My last real holiday on the West Coast and I spent it with my sister and her friends. We drank and we laughed and we ate candy. And we hopped a barbed wired fence to climb a mountain, for what was definitely the best spot to catch the fireworks show. (total rebels, I know.)

I missed my own friends in LA & OC, but hugging Ventura+my family as tightly as I am in these final hours.. well, it only seems right. I'm going to miss this little home town of mine.

And I couldn't be more proud of myself for the brave distances traveled from the last fourth to now.

I hope you all had a nice holiday as well! See you tomorrow at Blog Brunch? Say yes.

A Supper Photoshoot in the Meadow

The other day my baby sis Shannon proposed that we have a vain afternoon with one another + our iphones. As if she doesn't know the answer to such proposals already. DUH.

So we headed for Ojai and found a gorgeous flowery meadow beside a winding road. It was perfect. And I have to say, I'm quite pleased with how these photos came out! God bless the Instragram.  

By the way, my very first post of my new series, Punky's Picks is up. It's a link up dedicated to my favorite instagrammers! Would DIE if you joined in and added your own collection of faves. The link-up is open all month, so you have all kinds of time and then some to put something together. Put a smile on this girl's face and share the love!

I need a tan please.

Spring Time in the Beach Town.

Happy Spring, babies.

I woke up to a beautiful day and decided that I was going to put on some real clothes.. some make up even and go outside. I brought Michelle with me.

We decided it would be kinda cute to get all nostalgic and visit some of our past hang outs. So guess what. We did!

Our little journey started at the epic Arroyo Verde Park where we spent our summers ice blocking and attending cross country practice. (We enjoyed/reflected more heavily on the former.) Here's a few snapshots. Isn't this park huge and amazing? It's even bigger than it looks in the photos. Awesome hiking/running trails and grassy knolls for dayssss.

Had to hit up downtown of course---because that's what you do on a sunny day in the 805... you go DT Ventura and enjoy all the fine shops and pastel colors it has to offer. I think our city council is made up of people who believe in Easter colors year round. This speculation hails from the fact that 60% of our city's buildings/houses is painted as such. I do not object. At all.

(Can you tell we are seesters?)

Considering it had been awhile since I'd been up to the Cross, I said, "letsssss gooo!" To which Michelle said, "ooooook!" And so up we went! Brought back a lot of memories of burrito picnics and ex-boyfriends. Good memories on both accounts !

I'm pretty proud of these shots. I have to say thank you to clear skies and Instagram for really making me feel like a talent today.

We had to pick up Shannon (sister #duex) up from work shortly after we left the cross, so while we waited for her to end her shift at the mall, we decided to cross the street and pay our middle school campus a visit. Wow, was that a flash back. Strange how long ago that feels, that very awkward time where I attempted to play the oboe in the school band, and wore the same Hurley sweatshirt everyday, to not match my multi-colored fat shoe laces on my beloved pair of pink adidas. That time when, all I wanted was to be cool and popular and liked, and secretly (but not secretly) admired by boys named Jordan, Wesley, and Stanley. Jordan especially. That kid had nice hair. I have no idea where in the world those characters of my youth exist now, but in my memory they return to me so vividly. Ah, middle school. It was a time filled with P.E. numbers, arctic freezes, lip sync contests, weeples, seagull poop, G.A.T.E., slam books, hundreds of notes in class and really just no idea what was yet to come in this little 'ol life of mine. And still, who knows what is yet to come. Life is really something, ain't it.

Ballin' artwork! Always loved our very colorful campus.

We picked up Shannon and brought her back to partcipate in this very important Sobel sisters public announcement:

Can you tell that I'm not joking around?

Somedays I really do go back and consider being a school teacher just so that I can take care of all the little ones that get picked on. Boy oh boy, would I love the heck out of them. And protect them like no other. For real.

After Anacapa, we migrated to Thousand Oaks to grab some dinner, purchase some Apple products for Michelle's new macbook (lucky biatch) and to also touch a bunch of shoes at Nordstroms we all wish we had the money to buy right now (Oh hey Oxfords...FIND A MAGICAL WAY TO GET INTO MY CLOSET, WON'T YOU/THANKS.) We would have taken more photos, but......our phones died. Ha. Poor us, we had to look at each other's faces not through an iphone lens, and actually talk to one another! Who does that anymore these days??

It was a wonderful, beautiful day spent with wonderful, beautiful sisters :)

And Ventura---You are a wonderful, beautiful place to call home. I'm sure gunna miss ya when I leave for the city. That's all I gatta say.