Monday, July 30, 2007

Moving is Expensive!!! Parents Rock.

In the last week I have spent:
  • approximately $250 at Home Depot (paint, supplies, light switches, microwave, etc)
  • approximately $200 at Bed, Bath and Beyond (basic bathroom, bedroom, kitchen things)
  • approximately $100 at Walgreens (cleaning supplies, kitchen things, etc)
  • approximately $500 on a 14 foot U-Haul (including gas)
My parents, blessed saints that they are, paid for a lot of that, and let me borrow the rest. When all is said and done, I will owe them close to $2500 (first month, last month, security deposit, plus all the "little necessities it takes to first get settled" that I can't afford because I haven't worked at my job long enough). This is a little scary, but it's really nice to know that my parents are able to help me out, even at age 23. When do we truly become independent? I don't know if we ever do.

Anyway, I am beyond exhausted...I spent all last week with the mantra "just get through Sunday night," and although I sometimes felt a little weary, I pushed through the tiredness and managed to paint the entire apartment, drive to Berkeley (from LA, twice), move a 1-bedroom apartment's worth of stuff into my new place, scrub and Swiffer and cleanse and take out trash and even start unpacking some things. My dad is a superhero. He not only hung my towel rack and fancy deadbolt lock and lifted heavy things and re-caulked the kitchen...he re-wired a mysterious hole in the wall, finding out that the two clipped wires inside the hole go to the light-sensitive front door light and a socket inside. He bought switches and a switch plate, re-wired them, and now I have a light that automatically turns on when it's dark out and off when it's light, and I have an outlet that turns on via a switch on the wall next to the front door. Like I said, my dad is a superhero. My mom isn't too shabby herself...she scrubbed the grout in the kitchen so hard that what was once dirt brown/black now is sparkly white. I had thought that the grout was just a dark grout...on purpose. Um, no. My mom is also brilliant at putting things away and organizing them so that even if the majority of the apartment is a mess, I still have the basics set up so it feels like home.

Kudos, parents. And thanks a million bajillion.

I won't be writing a lot in the next week or so because I don't have internet hooked up yet and I have a LOT of unpacking to do. But when I do, there will be pictures. And fun times.

Ah, my very first apartment, all by myself. Delicious. The end.

Thursday, July 26, 2007

A Strange Phenomenon

I started reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows on Tuesday night. I've only gotten about 150 pages in or so, because I've only been able to read in the hour or so just before I go to bed. Already, I've cried, been totally choked up, laughed out loud, and found myself on the verge of biting my nails or clenching my jaw out of a tense fear and anticipation. Oh, and every time I go to a website that happens to have something mentioning Harry Potter on it, and I see the word "spoiler," I get a pit in my stomach and my heart starts beating faster and I'm, for a few moments, overcome with nervousness. Like, real nervousness. Like, I'm so terrified that I'll find something out and it will ruin the very last book for me and things will never be the same. And the funny (not really) thing is that I'm nowhere near the only one. Everyone I've talked to is either feeling the exact same way or has already finished the book and is warning me to DEFINITELY not read any spoilers.

It's just a book, right?

Apparently not. I think it's a wonderfully strange thing when so many people are so utterly wrapped up in a fictional story that they sit at their desks at work, anxiously tapping their feet and biting their nails, counting the minutes until they will be home with this work, devouring each page to find out how the story ends...and this time there will be no waiting for a next book (as far as I know). It feels sort of like the end of an era. I mean, it's been 10 years since Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone came out. 10 years. I was 13 years old when I started reading Harry Potter. That's a commitment. And so worth it.

So, here I am, desperately trying to avoid spoilers, and doing my best to read the book while also moving/painting/cleaning/working/trying to stay sane. I wish I could just lock myself up for a whole day and read. Makes me feel like I'm back in elementary school again, back in the days when I read for pleasure, and read probably more than I talked. I'm even kind of hoping that Boy will play video games with his friends tonight so I can hide in the bedroom and get a few hours in...this is anti-social elementary school Kim talking, 100%! It's hard to put Harry Potter down (as I learned last night, when I realized it was 1am and I was only going to get 6 hours of sleep...I was SO not ready to stop), and I'll be reading every chance I get from now until it's done.

And then we can all talk about it. Oh, and we will.

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Back In Action...and how!

I've returned from the Holy Land, and am getting back in the swing of things. Sort of. I have a feeling life is going to just be one big adrenaline rush for the next week or so. See, here's how it goes: Plane landed at 6am on Sunday. Laundry, food, shower, drove back to Berkeley. Got apartment keys. Monday was painting day. Painted a little more than half of my apartment in approximately 5.5 hours. Today I went back to work, faced with 150 emails...spent most of the day dealing with the 20 or so that were really important. Work tomorrow, paint tomorrow night. Work Thursday, paint Thursday night. Work from home on Friday to paint, make sure everything is clean and ready for the weekend (there's a company picnic on Friday anyway, so I won't be missing much. Except the picnic. Darnit.). Fly home Friday night to help load the U-haul. Drive U-haul with parents up to Berkeley Saturday morning. Unload U-haul and pick up rest of stuff from friends' basement storage Saturday evening and Sunday. Cable company comes on Sunday. The Boy also moves this weekend, possibly with the help of our U-haul.

Sound exhausting? A little. No jetlag to speak of yet though, so I'm hoping the adrenaline will just keep on keeping on until at least Monday or Tuesday next week. Then I can crash. Until then though, I have to push through or I simply won't make it. But make it I shall!

The paint is turning out pretty awesomely, a bright sea green on the living room walls with a gorgeous, buttery yellow for the window sills, doors and trim (and soon to be the beams as well). The kitchen is the same yellow, and while I was going to do the bedroom the same sea green, after seeing it on the walls, it's a bit too bright. Once I get home (in about 45 minutes; I'm on the shuttle right now), I'm taking what's left of the sea green (minus a little bit for touchups) back to Home Depot to see if they can make it a bit lighter...just add some white or something. Hopefully they won't charge me a fortune for it! It's kind of grown-up of me to have my own apartment that I'm painting how I want, I think. It's exciting, and I can't wait to be all moved in (despite the ridiculous cost of moving)!

I'll post a big Israel summary soon, probably after the Crazy Moving Spectacular, but I'll say this: that is a strong country with unbelievable history, and I'm proud to be connected to it.

The End.

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

My Friends Are Talented--and I'm off to Israel


I leave for Israel tomorrow morning (well, today really), and this last weekend at home has been quite fun. Saturday night, I sold merch at Sara's CD release show, which was just a great night. The environment at the Hotel Cafe was, as it always is, inviting, friendly and totally supportive. Sara basically got her start in professional performing there, so it has a very homey feeling, and the crowd just loves her--rightfully so; she put on a great show. The album is very good, and while there are a few things here and there that are unsatisfying (in my opinion), that's what happens when you're a new artist on a major label. They soften you up and use studio musicians and things feel a little, well, produced. It doesn't have the raw, honest musicianship that Sara and the boys have live, which just means their concerts will impress people who become fans of the album. Not a bad thing at all. Speaking of fans of the album, it is currently the #1 album on iTunes! Pretty damn cool if you ask me. It's only $6.99, which is an absolute steal. So go out and buy it. Do it. Now.
This is what it looks like when you buy Sara's album on iTunes. Neato.

The other rockin' part of the weekend was seeing N*IGGER WETB*CK CH*NK at the Ivar. I've been telling the boys I'm going to go for a while, and I'm glad I got to make good on my promise. It's nice to see the show hasn't changed much (with the exception of a few additions to update the show to current events), and it's still as powerful and hilarious as it was back in 2003. And I chuckle to myself a bit when I think of the fact that I was their first production manager, a mere little baby freshman at UCLA. So cute. It was kind of funny, bringing my parents to see the show--they loved it, and got to meet the guys after, and Miles and Rafa were their usual silly selves, making fun of me and charming the folks. I guess I just like the affirmation that my friends are still my friends, even if I haven't seen them in person in years. Thank god for email and MySpace, I guess. Check out their website to find out where it's touring in a city near you!
This photo copyright Speak Theater Arts Shameless Promotion, Courtesy of Kim's Kitchen Sink

Also exciting, I got to see the Raining Jane girls at Sara's show. They start touring again in September, so check out their website for dates and locations. It's been FAR too long since I've seen those girls play! Rumor has it they'll have a new album out in the somewhat near future...it's about damn time!

Anyway, I leave for Israel soon, and I have to wake up in 6 hours, so I'm going to bed. I haven't gotten this little sleep in a really long time, and I'm not looking forward to it. I did just see both Sterling and Chester on the Disney Channel (sleeping in my little sister's room), so staying up late wasn't a total loss, but all the same, I think it's time for some shut eye.

I'll post a long and exciting blog when I get back--enjoy a 2 week vacation from Kim's Kitchen Sink! :)

Friday, July 6, 2007

no sea be few days many part end

I received a spam message (in my spam folder, thanks gmail) the other day, and I actually read it today (why, I do not know). I had to repost it because it manages to be both insane and poetic. Somehow. So without further ado, I present to you:

"im really sick and appearance you've always dream

House kind us well want more not. Called mr if what does during using. As off man form first about words several head answer. Got which year head.

Whole than well sea told. Between night knew mother then took sentence years and where. Important above or between his better hand heard when. Part before together said take different why part off.

Change he think may do why sometimes miles. Think home any new his any old. City when room important may. Today does night if keep get well. Take hear so should almost. No sea be few days many part end.


House kind us well want more not.
Called mr if what does during using.
As off man form first about words several head answer.
Got which year head.

Whole than well sea told.
Between night knew mother then took sentence years and where.
Important above or between his better hand heard when.
Part before together said take different why part off.

Change he think may do why sometimes miles.
Think home any new his any old.
City when room important may.
Today does night if keep get well.
Take hear so should almost.
No sea be few days many part end."

I thought it was very interesting how the spammer repeats the message in poem-esque form, in stanzas rather than simple prose. Very interesting.

This could be just a bunch of crap, and probably is...lord knows it doesn't make any sense. But somehow (maybe because I didn't choose to display the photos and I don't know what this spammer is trying to get me to do or buy), I kind of like it.


Hm.

Thursday, July 5, 2007

Happy 5th of July

I've been really bad about updating the blog lately, and I'm sure that once I'm all settled into my new apartment, I'll be more regular about it again, but never fear...I have not fallen of the face of the earth. I know you were all concerned.

I've been pretty busy at work, but even busier at life. Last weekend, I moved out of the Intern House (minus two bags of Goodwill donations and my vacuum which I will be dealing with on Saturday morning before I leave for LA), which was exhausting. Very Exhausting. Moving is not very fun. The packing, the carrying up and down the stairs, the loading in the car, the multiple trips, the storing, the thinking about moving it all again in a month...it's all quite tiresome. But...good. I am signing the lease on my new place this evening, and am meeting a potential painter for an estimate (if she can do it for $200 or under, she's hired!), and will be taking some measurements. I'm excited just to see the place again, knowing it's mine and that I'm actually moving there! I changed my address (the landlord gave me the ok), set up for the post office to hold my mail while I'm out of town...things are definitely in motion.

As of Tuesday, I'll be on my way to Israel, ready to soak up The Homeland and all that jazz. I'm not looking forward to the 18 hour flight, but this is one of those Once In A Lifetime Opportunities that you just can't pass up. I'm going home for a few days before the trip to regroup (the trunk of my car is still full of suitcases/random stuff/clothes on hangers that are probably getting wrinkled despite my best efforts), help out at Sara's CD release concert at the Hotel Cafe (you can buy the CD here or on iTunes), go see NWC at the Ivar, visit with the fam, and just generally chill out. Ah, the pool, it is calling me.

This is going to be a short post today, because I'm off to the gym (at work), but I hope to be back on and updating (with pictures?) soon. Things are finally starting to fall into place.