I digress into the midwest, the fields of green await me but no. 35mph stretching roads sprinkled with traffic lights, most likely populated with GE bulbs. I’ve settled in, comforter has come to me in the mail to replace my cardboard corporate-bought blanket.
Shopping malls and chipotle make it slightly comfortable. Downtown Cleveland comprises of sticky divey bars with shiny fore-headed men. Picture dancing light bulbs with un-buttoned shirts and hair flowing out, dancing and intermingling with the glittering gold medallion necklaces, short skirts, brown leathery boobs – welcome to cougartown – my competition.
My sole purpose for the next 6 months is to make consumers like you care about light bulbs. CARE. carecarecarecare. I’ve joined the company softball team. I drink Leinenkugal and redbull & vodka. We make fun of ketchup stain who always wants two pizzaths! Rain, sun, cloud – who knows what pattern mixture of weather the day will bring?
Yes, interesting. Very, very interesting, Cleveland is.
Greetings! Is anyone there? No….? Nothing.
Oh well. I enjoy writing to myself. So it was mind-boggling to read the last entry I posted right before I left for China. I am glad that I did that, to document the things I was doing in LA. Because you see, I’ve been back for 2 weeks and it’s as if I never left at all. I find I am doing the same things, leading the same lifestyle.
Anyway, why the silence while I was away in China? The Chinese goverment blocked me from my own blog! So I had to start a new one, JUST for CHINA. Read here, if you care. The latest post is very shitty, thrown together for the sake of the study abroad assignment required from Northeastern. But there are some good depictions in there.
I’d talk about China, but that was SO 5 months ago. INTROSPECTION SEGUE: Today, I am surprised to identify myself (as identified by others, although I shouldn’t rely on others’ opinions to identify myself) as a person who simply cannot sit still. A world traveler, jet-setter, nomad, transient, blah blah…I am waiting for something to STOP ME. Ok, moving on.
I’ve basically been living it up in LA, soaking in the wonderful AMERICANNESS & CALIFORNIANNESS before I have to move to Cleveland for 6 dreary months for my 3rd co-op job. Honestly, I am scared. Yes. I will hop on a sleeper train in China by myself, and couchsurf with people I don’t know in Inner Mongolia; I’m completely willing to go to Africa and run around the jungles, I’ll bungee jump off a helicopter in Germany…anything along those lines, because these things don’t scare me one bit. But the prospect of moving to the MIDWEST for a 9-5 cubicle job….that terrifies me. It does. Rattles me to the bones. Gives me nightmares. I already feel suffocated to the point of death.
Everything is going to change, has been changing, things will never be the same. Family is planning to sell the house, to move further inland, further east and further away from Los Angeles. Bu hao. And parents are expecting to move in with me by age 25. WHAT?!
Highlights of LA, to remember as I sulk away in Cleveland:
Tokyo Tables Tuesdays w/ Ronny, Derrick, & Co.; SD trip for graduation & clubbing at OnBroadway (hey hei-se-ren!); Gold Room Combo w/ Duo Jenny & Tommy and meeting Zack Morris; Talia’s visit to LA(!!!); 35cent cock-tails at The Edison in Downtown LA; Redondo Beach: getting pulled over (drinkin’) with 4 ppl in the back seat, after two pen tests and a breathalyzer I get off the hook with no ticket & no warning; falling asleep at the wheel hitting a curb – missing hubcap and ID credit cards which were later brought back to me; stepping in Gizmo’s dog poo; MJ’s death & FF’s anal cancer according to Tammy; Father’s day with the Chang family and using some Chinese; visiting United Auto 5 times in one week; spontaneous surfing adventure at Venice Beach; Yoga w/ live music and the couchsurfer; catching up with all sorts of people; and now I’m in my last week to look forward to here in LA!!!!
People often ask me where’s my next adventure? Where will I end up? Here’s my answer: I have seen many things, been to many places, but I will always come back to LA. LA is where my home is. It’s my town.
Filed under: Globetrotting
Word.
“We’re born alone, we live alone, we die alone. Only through our love and friendship can we create the illusion for the moment that we’re not alone.” (Orson Welles, American motion-picture actor, director, producer, and writer, 1915-1985)
London.
So I’ve just returned from my 3rd international conquest – backpacking around London SOLO. Now, depending on the reader this can come off as an insignificant feat – or a life-changing accomplishment. For me it was the latter, and this experience has opened a gigantic heavy-set wooden door into the world…literally. This is the second time in my life that I’ve stumbled into this type of independent liberation as well as the realization that we will always be alone. Which is a beautiful thing.
Pre-Departure.
In a sense, this trip happened accidentally. Initially, I was convinced by a colleague of mine to accompany her on a quest to be rekindled with a former love. With an expiring $500 voucher for an American Airlines ticket, I decidedly used it on London – only because it would be financially feasible and I would have a place to stay for 2 weeks. Free of charge. Approximately 1 month before departure, my colleague found out that from her Amour that he had been laid off from Goldman Sachs because of the economic crisis, thus forcing him to move back to the states. Of course…I panicked becuase knowing that London would be wildly expensive with the heavier exchange rate I assumed a statutory position in front of my macbook – scouring facebook and old buddy lists for any potential London couches to sleep on. I even signed up for Travbuddy.com – which is like a facebook for travel enthusiasts.
Fortunately- I found an old college friend that happened to be moving there at exactly the same time I was leaving. But he hadn’t secured an apartment yet. Weeks passed and about 3 days before departure my colleague had just received the worst of worst news – her grandmother had passed and had to cancel the trip. So no place to sleep & no knowledgeable traveling partner and a non-refundable airplane ticket. Distraught & panicked, I geared up my backpack, bought a TimeOut London Guide, and peaced out to London all by myself!
Retrospect.
Cheers! In London, everyone says “Cheers” after everything. I was able to experience all realms of emotions and discomfort – my first 2 days I was lost as a tiny tornado in a big city. I had no idea what I was doing each day, but simultaneously overwhelmed with experience. Tube-hopping galore, museums abound, alcohol flowing, masses of international citizens, sleeping in a different place every single night. The funnest part of London was the spontaneity I was allowed – I loved spending days with random strangers from other countries and soaking up the London culture of craziness. I hung out with Australians, South Africans, Italians, & the French to name a few. I even conversed with deaf French people on NYE! They were going to a crazy party apparently. The touristy activities got boring after awhile and I tried to stay away from places that didn’t feel any different from America. My favorite area was the Shoreditch/Hackney area, east of London. Known as the heart of the”creative community” – there were tons of unique bars such as Ingrid Von Underbelly, Roadtrip & Mother. The Yard had the most delicious pizza! The scene was very “hipster” and the crowd ranged from artsy college students to professional 30’s. One night, we got invited to East Finchley by a group of English people and ate meat pies & crisps (potato chips). Chips are fries.
As always, the most meaningful thing about this trip was experiencing freedom and meeting the unique individuals that I met. It was a nice change from the cubicle life in corporate America. Crossing paths with other people and listening to their experiences has ultimately knocked down my walls of insecurity. Now I will now have a stronger stride and a confident step towards a path only to be created by me.
