That (Sometimes) Funemployed Life

As I sit here outside of Starbucks on this beautiful day in sunny California, my friends and family on the east coast await a blizzard of historic proportions.  It's times like these when I know I made the right choice.  They weren't lying when they said the weather here is amazing.  I'm not entirely sure who "they" are but my guess is people from California.  I've been here almost 2 months and I don't miss the east coast weather at all...but I do miss the east coast.
I'm still working on my friend game here.  Also working on the job hunt.  Also working on the relationship of living with a boy/my boyfriend for the very first time.  Believe it or not, I think that's the easiest of the 3.
Everyone freaked me out that we wouldn't be ready for such a big step in our relationship considering we had only been dating for about 6 months when I moved here.  It's been challenging for sure but we are making it work.  We're not even sick of each other yet!  In fact, I look forward to weekends so much just so I can hang out with him more.  It helps that he's such a stud.
He works at LinkedIn so during the week, I have to find ways to entertain myself.  So far, I've done a lot of crafting.  That's an understatement, actually.  I go to Michael's so often, we have started referring to "Michael" as my other boyfriend.  I've crocheted, I've wood-burned, I've painted, I've scrapbooked, I've made jewelry, I started an herb garden, I've made things for the walls, I've made things on Pinterest that I've always wanted to make.  If it's possible, I've almost crafted myself out.  Hence, why I'm blogging.
It hasn't been easy so far.  It's hard to complain though, especially because nobody feels bad for me.  I quit my job to follow my heart and be with my perfect guy in his perfect apartment in a perfect-weather place that includes a heated pool and various hot tubs throughout.  Our complex has a gym so I also work out.  Ohhh girl look at that body.  Ugh.  Girl look at that body.  Sorry, I get easily distracted.
So any who...the other night I was in the hot tub doing some thinking (it's a rough life, I know.)  It's frustrating as hell applying for/getting rejected by what seems like thousands of jobs at this point and it doesn't help when people ask about it, either.  I guess I just thought by having worked at ESPN and having my Master's, that it wouldn't be this hard to find something.  It's also the fact that I don't know exactly what I want to do anymore that adds to the frustration and confusion.  I started to cry thinking about it.  Then, I wanted to slap myself in the face.  How can I feel bad for myself while sitting in a hot tub?!
So I know it's not exactly "whoa is me" but transitional phases are no walk in the park (although that's exactly what I'm about to do.)  Not having any friends is the worst.  My live-in lover is amazing but it's just not the same watching The Bachelor by yourself and commenting to your cat how crazy these bitches are.  Speaking of terrible television, another way of keeping myself occupied has been binge-watching Pretty Little Liars.  I'm not even embarrassed about it.
But this is where my life has taken me and I'm going to keep "struggling" to make the best out of it and continue smiling at as many dogs as I can find. :)

You'd like to see what I've been crafting?  Oh, ok.  I'll show you...

Key holder (My first wood-burning project)

Maine nail/string outline + wood-burned hoME

Herb Garden (wood burned + mason jars where herbs will live)

Dreamcatcher Bracelet

Crocheted headband

Crocheted Placemat

Crocheted fingerless gloves

Ladybugs

When I was a Freshman at Marist, I lived in a single.  As soon as it started to get warm out, I would literally have a swarm of ladybugs every morning in my room.  I'm not talking a couple, I'm talking like 20+ ladybugs every morning, flying into my face and waking me up.  I'm sure I ate more than a few.  It took me a long time to get over that and I HATED ladybugs for a while.  I would see them and say, "Ugh!" and spray them with Windex.  Eventually I started to show my merciful side and let them live.  A number of years have passed since then, and now when I see a ladybug, I don't think of that awful experience; that fades quickly.  I think of the experience of living in that room in Champagnat.  Oh, that room.  511.

I love to think about that room.  I remember all the memories that were made in that room and the friendships that are still going strong that began to take form there.  That, of course, always leads to me thinking of the other places that I lived with those same girls and the other friendships that were born along the way.   The places always changed but the friendships and the love has only grown.

One of those girls is getting married this weekend!  I cannot wait because every time I see these girls, I think of how unbelievably lucky I am to have them in my life.  (Should I call us women now or will you always be "the girls"?)  I look at the way our lives have turned out and despite everyone going in different directions, whenever we get together, we're always on the same page and it's always one of those nights that you can't help but love.  I see them and my heart fills with so much joy and I know that's super cheesy but it's absolutely true.  They are the greatest group of individuals as well as the greatest group of friends that a gal could ask for.  Love you bitches with all my heart.

But so anyway, ladybugs...yea, just saw one.

Andddd yea, thinking of getting a small ladybug tattoo with 4 dots (R4 duh), perhaps behind the ear.  Anybody in? Real talk.