What do you know, I have a blog! A blog I am incapable of writing in, apparently.

I have been busy, busy, busy lately. I blame school. Further, I blame myself for thinking I could take 3 courses this semester when I'm obviously only going to do well at 2 of them. Of course, it's probably best not to think about that too much.

I have also been busy at work. It used to be that I could come home from a long day of insurance BS and find myself entirely excited about doing something for 4 hrs that wasn't insurance related. Now, I don't know- I go to work and come home wanting to curl up into a ball and die. Insurance has killed my passion for anything else, it seems. It has literally sucked out every bit of me that can get excited about things, gobbled them and my Cost of Living Adjustment for 09-10 and shat them back all over my face.

On a brighter note, I was able to go to LA last month to see Jack. I hadn't been down to LA since May- summer is the busiest time at my office so I couldn't take any time off and then I moved so there was no money to buy a ticket when I could leave. I really love LA- maybe it's because Jack's there, maybe not. I feel the strangest sense of calm when I'm there which seems antithetical to its yellow sky and constant bustle. A few months before I met Jack, I stayed in LA for a night while on a trip with my family and I remember sneaking out of the hotel for a few minutes to lookout over Hollywood and feeling totally comfortable and at peace with what was around me. I also remember my mom frantically trying to drive a huge SUV through LA at rush hour, good times.

This time I was able to drive down with a work colleague, V, who was going to visit some friends in Burbank. The drive (down 101) was really nice- much, much, much better than 5 as I tend to get very bored on that road. At the same time, it was draining and left me wanting to run around and do jumping jacks once we got to LA. Now I know Jack must really love me if he's willing to do that more than once in a year.

Friday night we went to this great tiki bar called Tiki Ti. Tiki Ti is the tinyest bar I have ever been in; it's so tiny that you have to wait in line to get in because they can only let a certain amount of people in at a time. Tiki Ti's real beauty is that they only serve tropical or rum-based drinks. Want beer? Care for some wine? Well, you're SOL because they don't have any. This is great if you're like Marshall Erikson or me and love technicolor dreamcoat drinks that come with pieces of pineapple on the rim of the glass. I don't remember what I had- I know I split a drink with V and stole Jack's but beyond that *poof* Tiki Ti may serve the last word in girlie fruity drinks but I'll be damned if they don't fuck your shit up.

Saturday Jack and I headed over to the Central Branch of the LA Public Library. I know, we're the world's most boring/nerdy couple. The Central Branch is seriously the best library I've been to and it blows my mind that a public library can be so cool (there is a great set of photos of the library here- I took exactly 3 pictures and none of them turned out). They have free tours and if you're in the area, you should check it out. Jack and I wandered the library and the courtyard outside after our tour and watched some party planning people setting up for what looked like the world's awesomest wedding right there in front of the library. (yes, now I want to get married there too)

That night we went to Carnival with V and ate too much amazing Lebanese food. V said it was the best meal she had ever had in her life and it was nice to see her so happy about the food (as I am always afraid that people will hate restaurants I like). Near the end of our meal, Jack visited the men's room and came back telling us how he ran into the owner while away and told him how much V liked the meal. When we were getting up to leave, the waitress came over and ordered us to sit back down- the owner came out with a big plate of baklava and namoura on the house. I really thought V would burst into tears right then and there. When we got back to work on Monday, I had so many people in my department ask me about Carnival since V kept waxing poetic about it. I can't blame her- it was a truly awesome meal.

Sunday was a nice lazy day for Jack and I before V and I left that night. We had to run some errands and even ran into his mom who almost ran into someone (literally) in her surprise at seeing us.

All in all, it was a fun trip but I wish it could have lasted longer or I could have just stayed down there (and consequently away from work/horrid grad school) forever.