Sunday, March 08, 2009
Disclaimer: This is inspired by The Choice, by Nicholas Sparks.
In the past several years, I’ve frequently found myself feeling so Blessed with the best friends. So many times, I’ve sat back from the conversation to give a moment of thanks. “Wow, God I’m having so much fun.” How much fun?
My life is like a beer commercial.
You know the billboard images and TV commercials, where the people are having a great time with huge smiles on their faces? Yup! That’s it! What are the odds that I’d spend my 20s with people who started as friends but became family? To see each other grow and witness life changes together. Obviously there have been so many beer commercial moments, but one that pops to mind is this past July 4th party. The yummy potluck, the Slip and Slide, the best part was lighting up fireworks and watching the neighbors put on the show and dancing up them. Fireworks are just so beautiful and romantic.
To think, did I willingly leave all this behind to move across the country? Yes, I miss my LA life so much. The shared laughter and familiar banter. The many loud conversations that simultaneously happen across dinner tables, the art of enjoying food together, the therapeutic runs on the streets of Pasadena, the prayer meetings, etc.
But God reminded me that my adventurous itch is being scratched. My curiosity to see how others live is being answered. My desire to see as many places in the world as possible is being met. The restless feeling I’ve felt disappeared two weeks ago. Meeting the numerous people I’ve met the past couple of weeks, I’ve learned that NYC is full of transplants, coincidently, most of them are from SoCal (yay!). But I’ve also met people from other areas too and some are so well traveled. The diversity is a collection of colorful threads woven together to create a beautiful tapestry. I love it and it’s inspiring.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
2009 A.D.
Feb 23-Mar 3, Week 1
My first Sunday church service was at Trinity Grace (where I also went to their Ash Wed service). It meets at a school. My emotions surprised me, but I found a bit of happiness to walk around a school and see student work on the hallway walls and meet in the auditorium in the uncomfortable student chairs. It was a familiar setting, being that I’ve spent so much time working at schools for the past 7 years.
I’m so grateful that I’ve met a good number of people over this past week. Besides one time, I haven’t really felt alone or bored. If I’ve been home this past week, it was because I consciously decided to and even turned down an invitation to go out. This is actually what I had wanted. About 2-3 weeks prior to leaving LA, I was busy working, hanging out w/ people and preparing for the move. It was so great to make my rounds and see family and friends before I left, but I was thinking, “I can’t wait to get to NY, where I don’t have friends yet. Then I can catch up on sleep, have some down time and read these two books that I got for my birthday (The Choice, by Nicholas Sparks and Three Cups of Tea, by G. Mortenson and D.O. Relin).” Haha, yup I wanted to read my books. Well, sure enough I’m getting my down time.
But I terribly and tearfully miss my family and friends. I miss being with the people I’ve known for these past years. I miss being w/ people that I know and they know me. I miss my girl friends that I pray with. I miss being a good and trusted friend. I miss being a listening ear as friends vent or confide in me. I want to get past the small talk. I want to hang out and laugh and talk about random things. It’s tiring to constantly hold up conversations with new people. You have to attentively listen so that when you see them the next time, you can follow up.
My roommate, Jeananne, 24, has been really great. She drew me a map the first night I arrived. She’s invited me out with her friends and we’ve had some good conversations. Last night we danced to my dinky digital clock am/fm radio. It was Britney Spears’ Circus. Club Jeananda! Oh ohhhh! Of course it doesn’t compare to Club BB, Club 559, Club with DJ KBPhootorious (sorry, what’s your official name?). So yeah, thankfully my roommate doesn’t have a line drawn across our bedroom or has voodoo dolls named Amanda. She doesn’t wear all black and doesn’t glare at me. (What a relief, Dennis!)
Something that I also miss is working out. Running, pilates, lifting weights, etc…such therapeutic exercises. Unfortunately, the few 24 Hour gyms in NY are really far from me. Joining a gym right now is definitely out of the question, with my lack of income. And I’m not running in 20 degrees temps without appropriate cold weather running gear. I like to think of myself as not a wuss, but I’m not about to freeze to death either. Luckily, warmer temps are just around the corner and Central Park is just a few blocks away from me. I can’t wait, Pearly!
My prayer request is for God’s guidance in deciding which church I will attend. My roommates both attend Trinity Grace and most of the people I’ve met are from there too. It feels natural to settle there, but should I, without visiting any other church? It’s such a daunting task to church shop and the longer I shop, the more time passes that I’m not building community.
I can’t say it enough, I miss you guys! I’ve been praying for you guys.
My first Sunday church service was at Trinity Grace (where I also went to their Ash Wed service). It meets at a school. My emotions surprised me, but I found a bit of happiness to walk around a school and see student work on the hallway walls and meet in the auditorium in the uncomfortable student chairs. It was a familiar setting, being that I’ve spent so much time working at schools for the past 7 years.
I’m so grateful that I’ve met a good number of people over this past week. Besides one time, I haven’t really felt alone or bored. If I’ve been home this past week, it was because I consciously decided to and even turned down an invitation to go out. This is actually what I had wanted. About 2-3 weeks prior to leaving LA, I was busy working, hanging out w/ people and preparing for the move. It was so great to make my rounds and see family and friends before I left, but I was thinking, “I can’t wait to get to NY, where I don’t have friends yet. Then I can catch up on sleep, have some down time and read these two books that I got for my birthday (The Choice, by Nicholas Sparks and Three Cups of Tea, by G. Mortenson and D.O. Relin).” Haha, yup I wanted to read my books. Well, sure enough I’m getting my down time.
But I terribly and tearfully miss my family and friends. I miss being with the people I’ve known for these past years. I miss being w/ people that I know and they know me. I miss my girl friends that I pray with. I miss being a good and trusted friend. I miss being a listening ear as friends vent or confide in me. I want to get past the small talk. I want to hang out and laugh and talk about random things. It’s tiring to constantly hold up conversations with new people. You have to attentively listen so that when you see them the next time, you can follow up.
My roommate, Jeananne, 24, has been really great. She drew me a map the first night I arrived. She’s invited me out with her friends and we’ve had some good conversations. Last night we danced to my dinky digital clock am/fm radio. It was Britney Spears’ Circus. Club Jeananda! Oh ohhhh! Of course it doesn’t compare to Club BB, Club 559, Club with DJ KBPhootorious (sorry, what’s your official name?). So yeah, thankfully my roommate doesn’t have a line drawn across our bedroom or has voodoo dolls named Amanda. She doesn’t wear all black and doesn’t glare at me. (What a relief, Dennis!)
Something that I also miss is working out. Running, pilates, lifting weights, etc…such therapeutic exercises. Unfortunately, the few 24 Hour gyms in NY are really far from me. Joining a gym right now is definitely out of the question, with my lack of income. And I’m not running in 20 degrees temps without appropriate cold weather running gear. I like to think of myself as not a wuss, but I’m not about to freeze to death either. Luckily, warmer temps are just around the corner and Central Park is just a few blocks away from me. I can’t wait, Pearly!
My prayer request is for God’s guidance in deciding which church I will attend. My roommates both attend Trinity Grace and most of the people I’ve met are from there too. It feels natural to settle there, but should I, without visiting any other church? It’s such a daunting task to church shop and the longer I shop, the more time passes that I’m not building community.
I can’t say it enough, I miss you guys! I’ve been praying for you guys.
Amanda Doan, Editor-at-large, Newsday
I took an online class back in Oct-Nov ’08. My instructor was an editor at Newsday and we corresponded after the class ended. I took him up on his offer to show me around the Newsday headquarters in Long Island. So Sat night was spent tagging along his side, meeting his colleagues, seeing the behind-the-scenes of how a newspaper is made, reading proofs, deciding what stays and what comes out of the stories. It was really cool, although one could say that I was just free labor, not even an intern where I could put it on my resume. =) I even got to edit a story. Unfortunately a bigger story came a couple of hours later and my story got cut out. He said my story would probably be used the next day. I felt like a no name actress learning that my scene had just been cut from the movie’s final cut. Haha. But it was quite gratifying knowing that, “Wow, I have a hand in what will be circulated to soo many readers the next day.” Working on a newspaper didn’t really appeal to me as much as working with textbooks or with fiction novels, but we’ll see. I’m glad God knows cuz it’s quite stressful to decide all on my own. It’s freeing to realize, “Wow, I’ll just ask Him what I should do.” Duh, so simple, but so life-changing.
Day 1-3 of NY
The apartment building is nice, from the outside, it looks kind of like an office building. When the shuttle dropped me off, I questioned if I got the address right. But no, it’s not a scam (Jennifer, haha), I really do have a bedroom. The inside is clean and spacious. Yes, it’s true that two queens could fit in it with still room to walk, despite some of your jokes. When I think of the typical NY apartment, with a brick wall, rats and cockroaches, I’m grateful that my new home is the opposite of that image. My roommate is nice, she’s from the OC and we went to yoga and Ash Wednesday church together. I haven’t seen my apartment mate as much, but she was also at Ash Wednesday service too.
My emotions are up and down. Although, I feel a great peace about my decision to move here, I have moments that I’m tearfully missing the life I know in LA. I just want to know where the nearest stinkin’ supermarket is and I have no internet at the apartment. I didn’t realize that having internet helps me feel so connected and how significant it is, until I didn’t have access to it for about 36 hours.
On the other hand, I caught a glimpse of me in a store window as I was walking home to my apartment and was thrilled that I found my way back without getting lost (again). “Wow! I’m actually here and it’s fun to be somewhere new and be able to explore!”
It was bittersweet to attend Ash Wednesday service. I really enjoy Evergreen’s somber service, filled with long moments of quiet to reflect and be with God. But it was nice to attend church with the few people that I somewhat know here in the city. I’ve always found comfort in the fact that He’s the same yesterday, today and tomorrow, but last night I realized, He’s the same in LA or NY. Praise Praise God for that!
My prayer request is to soon find a job (that I enjoy). So many expenses that come with getting settled into a new place. I feel the stress because money is going out, but I don’t have an income.
My emotions are up and down. Although, I feel a great peace about my decision to move here, I have moments that I’m tearfully missing the life I know in LA. I just want to know where the nearest stinkin’ supermarket is and I have no internet at the apartment. I didn’t realize that having internet helps me feel so connected and how significant it is, until I didn’t have access to it for about 36 hours.
On the other hand, I caught a glimpse of me in a store window as I was walking home to my apartment and was thrilled that I found my way back without getting lost (again). “Wow! I’m actually here and it’s fun to be somewhere new and be able to explore!”
It was bittersweet to attend Ash Wednesday service. I really enjoy Evergreen’s somber service, filled with long moments of quiet to reflect and be with God. But it was nice to attend church with the few people that I somewhat know here in the city. I’ve always found comfort in the fact that He’s the same yesterday, today and tomorrow, but last night I realized, He’s the same in LA or NY. Praise Praise God for that!
My prayer request is to soon find a job (that I enjoy). So many expenses that come with getting settled into a new place. I feel the stress because money is going out, but I don’t have an income.
Virgin America Flight VX523. LAX to NY
About one hour en route to NY, a girl probably in her early 20s popped out of her seat and started screaming loudly. “Please don’t leave me! I want to go home! S@#$! Max! Tommy! David! Please don’t hurt me! Please! F%&@!” Over and over for about 30 minutes. She was violent towards the flight attendants and wouldn’t take her seat or quiet down. I sat a couple rows back from her and got to see a lot of the action. I think the attendants tried to tie her to her seat. People around me were saying she was probably on drugs and one of the crew members said she had had 2 alcoholic drinks. Funny, with my background in education, my first thought was totally different: “She must be mentally ill and having an episode.”
So we ended up having to stop in Denver and the authorities escorted her off the plane in handcuffs. We were delayed for about an hour. I’ve been trying to look for a video of everything on utube, because I know someone was recording it, but haven’t been able to find it.
So we ended up having to stop in Denver and the authorities escorted her off the plane in handcuffs. We were delayed for about an hour. I’ve been trying to look for a video of everything on utube, because I know someone was recording it, but haven’t been able to find it.
DoanKnow what's gonna happen...
Thanks everyone for your calls, texts and emails. There were so many and I felt so loved. Waiting to board the plane, I finally had a free moment in the day to listen/read my voicemails and texts. I will miss you guys.
Last Five Days in LA
it feels...
sad to leave
stressed to get all things lined up
anxious for the unknown and difficulties ahead
loved from the last moments with family and friends
blessed for all the well wishes
grateful for this opportunity
excited for the new adventures
sad to leave
stressed to get all things lined up
anxious for the unknown and difficulties ahead
loved from the last moments with family and friends
blessed for all the well wishes
grateful for this opportunity
excited for the new adventures
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