Tag Archives: unbreakable kimmy schmidt

Settled In, It Seems

We’ve finally made it – all the big boxes are unpacked and disposed of.  It’s a thrilling sensation to be done and to be kind of almost all moved in at our new and smaller apartment.  All the work of getting shelving installed has been so satisfying too, as items are finding their real home and our home becomes livable too for us, as that is actually a thing we’ve been making ourselves deal with.  It’s interesting how much you choose to deal with when it’s something you can’t ignore, like boxes all stacked in your dining room area or piles of clothes and linens in your bedroom or an office overrun with crap…you make it all work regardless and get used to it.  But when you get things organized and reclaim that space, it is like, woah, that’s nice.

Yesterday was a productive day too, but I think I felt a little emotional about it as well.  There was the realization I had that Phase 1 of Moving is done and now it’s time to get settled in and make the place ours, and then start actually enjoying the apartment and amenities.  But then it was also realizing that we’re not done yet – just that the boxes are gone.  I actually just got my TV mount for the wall today, we have more shelving coming in for the wine glasses and bar area, and then there will be picture hangings and such.  It’s fun and great to have all this happen, but soooo exhausting.

In random tangents, both Larry & I are so glad to have some of our favorite Spring TV back:  Mad Men and Game of Thrones.  Mad Men‘s final season is airing and it’s been good but also sad because this is the LAST SEASON.  NOOOOO……!!!  It’s not clear where it’s headed, but one thing that does seem kind of apparent is that Don Draper is and will continue to be the same broken and flawed man he was from Season 1.  Game of Thrones is exciting this year as we’re finally at that expected divide when the TV show caught up to the books…and now the show is able to write its own interpretation of what happens next.  George R. R. Martin has given the showrunners an outline of what he has intended the overall story to encompass for the ending, but the details are likely changing regardless.  There are promises that characters will die even book readers will find surprising.   So, those shows are ongoing while Larry & I also are enjoying the third season of House of Cards on Netflix, although that has been slow-going for a few reasons, including my initial PwC travels and then moving.  But we didn’t let all that stop us from binge-watching Netflix’s other new series, The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, which is fucking awesome and funny as hell.

Alright, this was just a word-vomit post for today, but I need to keep trying to get back in the swing of posting and so here we are.  I have some more pics to share too, including a bigger batch from yesterday when Mom and Helen came over to visit.

April 9, 2015 – PwC All Hands in Santa Monica!

Last week there was an All Hands meeting for the group here in SoCal and it was held out on the Westside, kinda near my old stomping grounds.  The traffic was ridiculous, as expected, but not nearly as bad as it could have been.  Even though it felt like a longer ride, it was only an hour or so back to my home in Glendale…although that was with me leaving at 7pm.  I had looked earlier at 5pm and the trip was easily 1.5 hours.  Eff that.  I did enjoy being back on the beach though, but that’s just not enough for me to say I miss the Santa Monica area, as I don’t.

09-Apr-2015 17:34, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 32
09-Apr-2015 18:13, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, ISO 32
09-Apr-2015 18:13, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 32
 
09-Apr-2015 18:13, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 32
09-Apr-2015 18:14, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, ISO 32
 

April 11, 2015 – Final Stretch….

I have to say this is kind of misleading titling, as while it was a final stretch of boxes and installations, like I rambled about above, there’s still a lot of work.  But at least we’ve gotten so much crap off the floors!

More boxes on their way out
More boxes on their way out11-Apr-2015 12:40, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 250
Not just a pic of a bathroom, but a bathroom without boxes!
Not just a pic of a bathroom, but a bathroom without boxes!11-Apr-2015 12:40, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, 0.042 sec, ISO 250
Goodwill stuff
Goodwill stuff11-Apr-2015 12:40, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 200
 
11-Apr-2015 19:57, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 320
11-Apr-2015 20:18, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 400
 

April 12, 2015 – Mom and Helen, Some Grilling, and More Home Improvement!

Helen came up to visit mom so they came over to see how we were doing in the getting settled effort.  Mom wasn’t impressed but I reminded her, gently, that it actually was MUCH better than when she saw it and it was a goddamn warzone.  We took them on a tour of the amenities as we hadn’t shown my mom that her last time here as there was work to be done then!  These pics are from the roof deck of the building we live in, not of our own private area.  Our grilling adventures for dinner later that evening were a bit educational – the grills provided around the complex are very nice, but they’re huge.  So we’ve realized that a large grill takes much more to heat up.  The El Pollo Loco chicken recipe requires indirect heat, so to do that in a big grill, you need to use more burners.  Lesson learned, hopefully.

12-Apr-2015 10:52, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 125
12-Apr-2015 10:52, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 100
12-Apr-2015 10:53, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, 0.059 sec, ISO 250
 
12-Apr-2015 11:08, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 160
12-Apr-2015 11:08, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 200
12-Apr-2015 11:16, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 160
 
12-Apr-2015 12:31, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 32
12-Apr-2015 12:31, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, ISO 32
12-Apr-2015 12:31, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 32
 
12-Apr-2015 12:31, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, ISO 32
12-Apr-2015 12:31, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, ISO 32
12-Apr-2015 12:32, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, ISO 32
 
12-Apr-2015 12:32, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, ISO 32
12-Apr-2015 12:32, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 32
12-Apr-2015 12:32, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 32
 

Who Me, Stressed?

This week was my first one in which I’d spend the entire week at work without any bit of training, even a 1-day jaunt to Atlanta! So the beginning of the week was me first having a bit of a stress-out realizing that I have to start making things happen!  Guess what?  Things started happening and I’ve been fairly busy this week – it’s a great feeling.  I don’t feel totally useless.  I love it.

Also?  I was chatting with one of my fellow managers at work and she told me about taking the Metrolink into DTLA, and she pointed out that there’s a Glendale station I could be using.  You know what?  I knew that – but I totally didn’t associate it as an option for me to go to work.  But guess what?  It totally DOES work.  I started researching that option and I found out that a Metrolink pass is also a Metro Rail pass, so I can ride the LA subways, light rails and buses.  HELLS yeah!  Back to Riding the Rails for me!  Although what my route will be is driving to the Glendale Metrolink station, taking the Metrolink train nonstop into Union Station (Glendale is the next stop from Union Station), then transfer to the Red Line and go to 7th/Metro Center and then walk a block.  It may end up taking slightly longer in the morning BUT in the afternoons it will be completely worth avoiding the nightmarish 110 North traffic.  Also also!  PwC works with LA Rideshare and I’ll get reimbursed almost the entire cost of a monthly pass!  Tomorrow morning will be my first trial run to see how it all works out.  I plan on making it work regardless but I figured even before moving that it would be fun to use the rails and avoid Thursday insanity on the freeways.

In the map below, you can see the gold/green line that goes through Glendale on its way to DTLA.  Yay!

metrolinkoptionOh, and then of course, the other source of stress this week!  We’re moving!  This weekend!  I may need to take some mind-altering substances to remain calm – JUST KIDDING.  I can’t wait to be done.  We ended up deciding to get a storage unit anyway, even with the massive amount of junk disposal we’ve done.  It has to be done.  It’s nice to know we have that in our back pocket.

Larry went by the place this afternoon and they finished painting the two accent walls we wanted done.  This timeline is really working out well!  Here are some pics he took:

25-Mar-2015 11:10, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, 0.008 sec, ISO 32
25-Mar-2015 11:10, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, 0.025 sec, ISO 32
 

Completely random pic time – my walk in the mornings has included being able to see the Wilshire Grand building as it gets built.  I took a picture of it three weeks ago and then one on Monday.  It’s already grown 2 stories!  At least its inner superstructure.  This building will be the tallest building on the west coast when it’s done and it will look pretty stunning when complete in a few years:

wilshiregrandThe poor PwC building will look so small next to it!  Anyway, here’s what the Wilshire Grand looks like now, as well as three weeks ago.  You can see they’ve conveniently numbered the floors as they build them:

12-Mar-2015 08:59, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, ISO 32
24-Mar-2015 08:46, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 32
 

We’ve finally been able to start watching Netflix’ newer shows!  House of Cards is obviously good and we’re 2 episodes in, but the show I think both Larry & I are REALLY in love with is Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.  It’s amazing and sooo funny.  That’s not too surprising since it comes from Tina Fey and Robert Carlock, the people directly responsible for 30 Rock.  Ellie Kemper is awesome and the return of Jane Krakowski to my television is most welcome.  Carol Kane is also in this and that just makes this show magic.  Plus the theme song is just hilarious and seems directly reminiscent of the following: