My New City

First Impressions

I’m in this place called LA, and I find myself thinking, “This is not Texas.”  (Yes, duh).  I haven’t seen one cowboy  hat, and I’m beginning to consider that a crime.  Many of you have wondered (and asked) “What was so great about Texas?” That thought has crossed my mind on numerous occasions as well.  Tonight, after 12 hours of hospital and unit orientation I thought to myself, “What if I find myself back in Texas?”  Perhaps I should just consider the Lone Star State my first love.  After all it is where this whole travel thing began.  Just getting there alone constituted my first solo road trip (and to be even more accurate my first real adventure where I and not my father drove).  I’ve told people that I love Texas because I went with no expectations.  LA on the other hand…well, I’ve visited (many times throughout my life) so yes, to some extent a picture had already been painted in my mind.  Surprisingly the scene I had envisioned is quite unlike the reality that hits me in the face each morning.  I’m not sure what exactly I think of this place, which is fine, given that I’ve only been here what, 5 days.  I do however know that when MapQuest says it will take 15 minutes to get to a destination that really means up to one hour.  The scenery is beautiful, especially when viewed from a higher elevation.  It rained earlier this week, but I like the fact that over the weekend I had to change out of my Uggs because I didn’t feel right about wearing them when the sun was shinning.  (They’ve also been my stable footwear for the past 2 months while in Seattle).  Another scenario that seems slightly misplaced (and surely the strangest) is that I attended Mass off of Hollywood Boulevard this past Sunday.  To further confuse my mind the pastor stated, “If you plan on attending service next week at 5 pm please allow for extra time due to the Oscars and road closures.”  The fact that I could be celebrating Jesus within a half mile radius of perhaps the most well-known entertainment event seems absurd. 

I’ve always considered myself someone who would enjoy living in a large city.  (No, Seattle is not a large city.  It is more like a town in comparison to my current living arrangements).  LA has done a sufficient job of evoking moments of exhaustion.  I’m living downtown in a huge apartment complex.  It literally occupies two city blocks.  I’m on the 10th (and top floor) of my building, and the trek from the parking garage to my door has sometimes taken between 5-10 minutes.  (Tonight I considered forgoing exercise in exchange for promising to always take the stairs, which in reality is probably faster than waiting for the elevator).  I guess I’m living and learning.  Sounds corny, but it’s true.  I’ve been gone from Seattle less than a week, and I’ve already faced the possibility of having to put chains on my tires and drive through a snow storm, as well as encountering a dead car battery and having AAA come and replace it in the parking lot of an Albertsons.  (I don’t know why I am always struck with transportation drama.  It’s starting to get annoying). 

Second Impressions

I love the sun, when armed with sunscreen of course.  I’ve had two days of hospital orientation on my floor and am now receiving 16 hours of computer training for a charting system that I learned in Texas.  (If they want to pay me to sit in a classroom all day and not wipe poo, that’s fine with me).  It’s great to not be cold.  Sunny and in the 70s today.  Although I do not appreciate the traffic jams I continue to enjoy driving by new places.  Even if the commute is long, at least it is interesting.  Only in LA do you come across a Home Depot in Koreatown, with a taco stand out front, next to a Food 4 Less, on the same lot as a discount shoe store, complete with a Starbucks.  These are the things that are currently making me happy.