happy new years, everyone!

hello loves -

i hope all of you have a great (and safe) new years this evening. i miss all of you very much, and wish i could spend even a bit of the night with one or all of you kids.

updates galore:

1) I HAVE MOVED INTO MY NEW FLAT. all of my belongings are now resting in my much more spacious, crazy-looking, windows galore room. my new space is a challenging one to describe: there's a mini-loft that hangs from the ceiling via wooden beams - which is where my mattress and then some will rest. a mini spiral staircase climbs up to it. i bought a futon (for first floor sleeping when lazy) and am planning to buy a couch as well - so my room will be loungeville to the max. there are at least 8 windows, some big some small, all wonderful. i woke up to so much light today, and it was fantastic. i have a private deck (of sorts its private - i dont think anyone in the house really uses it - but oh how i will!)

2) new housemates are much friendlier than i was anticipating. and much bolder. it's definitely a change from my previous living situation - but i'm pretty excited to be meeting a new group of folks.

eric #3: tall, rei sports guy, bakes, bold as hell
ruthie: super pretty, works at music venues, teaches sewing classes, knows how to make damn fine pasta primavera
ryan: minimal insights because he's currently traveling through thailand, but that in itself speaks volumes

3) i'm realizing my job is really no good for me. i haven't worked since two fridays ago, and i'm the happiest i've been in 5 months. hello. not sure what i'm going to do about it, but something (including my attitude) needs to change pretty soon here.

4) i recognized a few days ago that i am far more in debt than i was anticipating (which compounds the problem of the job). i would like to say that the medical insurance system sucks and credit card companies employ scoundrels.

5) the phone call from festivus made my top 5 phone calls of all time, potentially the top three. i woke up smiling BIG-TIME the next day. thanks, guys.

6) i've felt much less chaotic the past few weeks, and i am hoping that this continues. i'm trying to change a lot of things about how i am living life right now; i feel like i really dropped the ball on a lot of stuff (from hobbies to how i treat friends) as soon as i started working. so anyway.

i love you kids a lot. you should all blog some, by the way. i want to read some stories already.

what's up 2007,

jen

"if I get sidetracked, it's only 'cause i wanted to"

Hey what do you know I am at work and blogging. Should I be documenting this? Oh probably not. Eh.

So let’s get started:

* pause *

OK so I feel like I have only a few substantial things to say, so I will follow the “in the past insert time here” blogging format:

In the past 4 days, I have:

· wondered if the instruction of English literature / grammar will one day include various blogging formats – similar to how to write various types of letters – or is this already taught?

· Slept overnight in a laundry room with Rudy, Steph and Brandy watching “Team America”

· Looked up “badminton” and “bocce ball” in a dictionary for spelling reference purposes (why does my job require such things of me)

· Decided that I am going to try to go back to school (!!) I know, I know I can hardly believe it myself. I’ve been real moody / sad-faced lately, and I think a large part of it is because I’ve been relatively goal-less since getting this job. This past Tuesday I called in sick (again – so tired of being sick). While laying around feeling disgusting, I started patching together what I’d like to work towards in the next few years. I found a sweeeeeet GIS (geographic information systems) program at SF State University. It’s not an MA, though its within the program (and still in the Geography Department! Yes!)… I kind of feel like I’ll be going to ITT Tech or something, but GIS is definitely something I want to learn – and is directly related to many things I’d like to do / study later on (potentially) – city planning, cartography (e.g. Google Earth), land use / environmental planning and design, etc. The program starts in February and only takes 6 months to complete if I push it – though I’ll probably stretch it out over a year because I don’t see the point in overdoing it. And I want to hang out. And don’t want to be broke in the process.

· Felt a lot better at work (psychologically) because I actually have a semblance of a long-term game plan

· Really wished I was going to festivus (8 times)

· Got lost in a vortex outside of Santa Cruz with, of course, Rudy Steph and Brandy

· Bought 3 thermal shirts (this is what I am talking about)

· Decided I would like to purchase: 1) a banjo, 2) an ipod and 3) a “good” camera

· Wondered if all boys in this city are completely insane (including smart, cute AND funny ones)

· Recognized that I really like the basic ideas behind quantum logic (and the reasons why it is used)

· Smiled because I am so close to being out of my apartment (6 times)

* * *

My life will be very very different when I get back from my less than 72 hour hiatus in Texas. Major reasons include:

1) Steph is leaving for San Diego next Tuesday, shortly followed by Brandy. I can’t believe those two fools won’t be in this city anymore. I know for sure that Rudy is going to be particularly sad to see Steph go – they’ve been BFF out here for at least 3 years. Ugh.

2) I move into my new place the day I get back from Texas. Return to start “new” life.

3) My friend Jeff is moving here from Brooklyn which (i hope will be) awwwwesome

4) I get to bring back my Mom’s guitar from Texas and I’m stoked.

5) May start looking for new work and may be going to school shortly thereafter.

This all happens around the new year – which makes me feel that perhaps I should make resolutions, etc etc. I have a huge list of personal goals – little things – that ive done a SHODDY job at even attempting up to this point. It seems coming back from Texas will warrant a nice place to start.

Long and boring. But really it’s all about goal-formation.

Love you guys a lot. (And Shelley and Amanda – I haven’t seen Rudy so excited about an event in a super long time J ))

Later dyyyudes –

Jen

patience & pickiness

Hello my darlings.

Yes, I am work. No, I do not care that I am not working and blogging. Yes, my mother will be angry upon reading this. (Technically, I am “on break” right now so it makes little difference).

I have absolutely fantastic news. I am moving out of my apartment and I am so freaking happy about it.

The neighborhood I live in is increasingly unsafe, or perhaps I have had one too many unsafe episodes. Now that I am moving out, I feel like I can list a few of the things that have happened (which also may reveal why I haven’t written a whole bunch on this thing):

1) a homeless man hit me repeatedly on my right arm with a piece of cardboard tubing that you can put posters inside of. It was early – 7pm or something. I wasn’t physically hurt or anything, just stunned. I didn’t know what to do – so I quickly walked away, but then felt I need to do something – so I faced him and said, like a mom would, “donteverdothatagain.” It was ridiculous.

2) There was a riot on the street I live on. Literally, a riot. It was like a scene from Grease and the LA riots joined forces. All white folks – it seemed like it was the hipsters from my neighborhood battling it out with the rich, snobby frat dudes from Northern SF. Really really weird and violent and scary. Happened at around 2am when the bars got out.

This has been the situation coupled with problems with a current housemate as well as a dude who lives above me. Really, the situation is entirely ridiculous and causing way too much concern. I just don’t feel safe there, for many many reasons.

Subsequently, I have been either at Rudy’s or my friend Heather’s pretty much every night for the previous month. Rudy leaves this Saturday for Texas (oh festivus how I will miss you!) so I’m going to be sleeping in his room (he is a wonderful wonderful man) until I move in on December 27th…

But enough with the negativity already… About my new place:

AWE.SOME.

Much much much safer neighborhood. No more folks on the street. Still pretty cheap. It’s about 6 blocks away in a positive direction, even closer to the places I usually hang out (e.g. bluegrass / jazz bars, where friends live, cafes, etc). And I got the room I wanted!! Two walls of windows, opens up to an outdoor space with porch and garden, hardwood floors, taaaall ceilings, really beautiful.

My new housemates:
Eric – (third house in a row with a boy named Eric –all in SF) – works at REI, but about to start his MBA so he can be an REI bigwig. He can get me discounted sporting gear. (Wooooord). Asked if I felt safe walking home after my interview and offered to walk with me. I cantevenbelieveit.

Ruthie – works at the Fillmore, Warfield and various comedy clubs (equivalent to Emo’s and Stubb’s in Austin). She can get me discounted tickets. (Yeeeeees).

Ryan – sole product designer at global firm who makes things I cant talk about online. See Jen for undisclosed information.

Hooray hooray for December 27th.

I love and miss you guys a lot. A LOT.

Jen

and it's not even noon yet.

wassup for shizzle and things of that nature -

i woke up this morning at 6:30 and watched the sun rise again. it's a new thing for me and i'm really liking it a lot. was able to clean my room, talk to diane for a stupid amount of time (yyeeeeyyyyyeeees) and make a hearty breakfast. among other things:

i had my very doorbell ring from a jehovah's witness this morning! they actually exist!!

an hour later, my (increasingly dear) friend heather and her housemate shanon (who is The Voice of TIVO) showed up at my door in fairy costumes - corsets, tutus and glitter included. they asked if i could play a small bit in a film they were making, to which i obliged. my role included coming out of a bookstore across the street from my house - where i ended up chatting with the store owner and scoring a free, FANTASTIC, huge bookshelf.

at then it was 11:22am.

i also looked at another flat today, and lemme tell you - finding an apartment in this freaking city is tiring and moderately debilitating.

* * *

and now onto shelley's favorite topic: BOYS!!

ugh. i am cutting myself off from boys of all shapes and sizes and levels of emotional stability for a good while. i feel like i have been the source of one boy crying and two having panic attacks, and i'm tired. these guys are super awesome (honestly), really strong, smart, cute - BLEEGGH - but just damn tiring. why am i constantly the "man" in every relationship. why am i the one doing all the taking care of. really, why am i doing this to myself.

so i'm done for a while. phone is off, and i am veering away from all chaos. just. not. worth it.

* * *

i miss you guys a lot. you guys seem to be going through a heck of a lot right now: finals, nights in dark hospitals, icy blizzards, research that is - well - difficult to get off the ground, far away places, introspection and listening to smooth jazz. really, you are all strong as hell and i feel lucky, EXTREMELY LUCKY, to have you in my life.

the day is young,

jen