Separation Anxiety

As much as I appreciate Thomas Wolfe as a great American author and fellow UNC alumnus, I never really thought the statement that "You can't go home again" was ever very true. To be honest, for me, it hasn't been true at all. Perhaps if I had grown up in a small rural town with a limited world view I would think differently...oh wait.

In fact, since we decided to move next month (especially since we're moving next month), I've been a little obsessed with reconnecting with home. I've been back to visit now two weekends in a row, and I plan to be home for the next four barring another horrible car breakdown. I feel like the pure joy I get from spending time with my family might actually be a little weird. I cannot get enough of playing with my two adorable nieces -- who are my kindred spirits. (Seen below on our most recent trip to the Fresno Zoo, which, despite being a great place to take kids, is also one of the most depressing places on earth. All of the animals have this pained look like they are waiting for the sweet release of death. The kids don't notice though.)

But I also can't seem to get enough of my parents, who aside from having given me life lead otherwise pretty ordinary lives. Our weekends go something like this: I arrive Friday night, wake up Saturday morning and drink coffee/read a book with my mom on the back patio, have breakfast with mom and dad, schedule several hours of play time with the girls, eat dinner with mom and dad (and maybe grandma if I'm lucky), watch a movie together and then go to sleep around 9 p.m. Rather, rinse, repeat. It is kind of my bliss. Could I start a life here? No. Could I become recluse who only spends time with my family, reads and has HBO? Yes.

I will say that there has been something surreal about these past couple of visits now that I'm packing up my stuff for real (for reals, for reals). When I went away to college, I knew I would be back for everything. When I moved to LA, I was able to use my parent's house for everything from out-of-season clothes to TV boxes. But NOW, I am actually having to sift through everything from years past to decide if there is anything I actually want to have in my home. It is very weird, and a little frustrating -- I mean, who threw out all my prom dresses?

Los Angeles To Do List

Even though Robert and I have spent the last 12 months complaining about how much we can't wait to get out of Los Angeles because of the traffic, or the air quality, or the lack of outdoor activities, I've been a little down since the move was confirmed. I can't wait to start our life in Portland, but I also can't help but think about all the things we'll be missing when we leave -- eternal (infernal?) sunshine to say the least. So, to say goodbye and make a clean break with the city I've had a two-year love/hate relationship with, I've created a list of all the things I'd like to do before we leave.

1.) Griffith Observatory
I've been to Griffith Park a lot for concerts, hikes, etc. But I've never been to the actual observatory, which is kind of inexcusable since it is so iconic.

2.) Pink's
Probably one of my favorite places to eat. In fact, I may just pick a day that I want to eat three hot dogs in a row because I may not be able to choose just one. I mean, who wouldn't miss a giant kosher hot dog covered in onion rings and BBQ sauce? Apparently, I'd also like to visit the emergency room before I leave.

3.) Hollywood Forever Cinespia
I've always wanted to go see a summer movie at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, because it is absolutely a city landmark. Unfortunately, I'm not sure I'm going to have time in the next two weeks to make a screening. However, I'm totally willing to substitute with a Bon Iver sunrise concert.

4.) LACMA/Tar Pits Museum
Honestly, we've lived across from these two museums for the past two years and it is kind of embarrassing that we still haven't been. I feel like I have to promise my mother that I will take advantage of the cultural offerings of LA before we hit the road. I promise.

5.) Father's Office
The absolute best burger in the country. Delicious bun, high-

grade beef, caramelized onions and Gruyere. Add in a cart of sweet potato fries and a Mexican coke (made with real sugar), and it just doesn't get better.

Send me your suggestions!

Editors Note: Rob just brought to my attention that this post makes me sound like a fat kid. I would just like to point out that I left Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles off this list.

The Move Is On

For someone who works with words all day, it is kind of amazing that this is my very first blog posting. I feel like it is a long time coming. While this blog is primarily for family and friends, I'll take the time to introduce myself and explain why I am just now deciding to put my thoughts out on the Interweb.

I am a 25-year-old living in Los Angeles with my fabulous boyfriend, Rob. We started dating just after our high school graduation, and what originally started out as a summer fling has spanned seven years, five universities and three states.

In the interest of full disclosure, I work for Edelman Public Relations on the Xbox 360 account -- so feel free to consider anything I write about video games or consoles completely biased. Though, this blog isn't about video games.

Rob and I have decided to make a big move up to Portland, OR at the end of September. In addition to some benefits for me professionally, there are a couple of things that make this a great move for us. #1:We don't want to live in LA. It is all well and good for the time being, but we need wide open spaces and we're ready to #2: Buy a house. We can't afford to buy a house here, but we can up there! And #3: We LOVE the Pacific Northwest and we think it might be the place for us to really dig in our heels and stick it out for awhile.

Unfortunately, Portland is a long way away from our families and the incredible friends we've made over the years. So I thought I'd keep a blog to chronicle all of our adventures as we move to a new city so everyone can keep tabs on us and stay updated on our lives. I'm going to miss everyone pretty desperately, so this is my coping mechanism.

So where are we in the process of moving? We're still in the early stages. While my transfer with work is final, we still haven't signed a lease. We're looking around in a couple of different neighborhoods, but we'll likely live on the outskirts of town to save some money. We're hoping to have our housing plans finalized within the next two weeks. We have already stopped cleaning our apartment in LA. We've given up on it and can't wait to start packing.

Stay tuned for more updates.