Easter

The only flower we have... b/c our apt recieves limited amounts of direct sunlight... (and lots of indirect) its really hard to have any plants :( But this one has made it... and its my favorite flower ever- cyclamen! I check it nearly every day to see what has bloomed. Exciting!









Our Easter crew... we all ate at Jeremy and Meaghan Koci's for dinner/late lunch. Then we sat around and talked forever before setting up a few rounds of Settlers. Good times and good food. The man standing to Jeremy's right is named Larry and he's from Seattle... he told us a lot about the Seatle and Portland areas... as he heard we are interested in church planting somewhere. Then he told us his dreams to church plant in Ireland... and now he and Kevin are going to meet to discuss this idea more. :) Of course.



Speaking of good food: I experiemented some more and tried out twice baked sweet patotoes (amazingly excellent) and an extra chocolate cake (thewhite frosted one shown below. That one was not sooo good... almost too bitter for me- but hey, it was worth the try.

LA.4

Last night Kevin and I decided to walk to the grocery store since it is only a few blocks away... and on our walk we passed a lot of people, but only one stood out... a young man that looked as though he'd walked straight out of the 80s... long dishevealed hair, torn jeans, t-shirt... sorta the rocker look... and carrying a boom box over his shoulder playing Pearl Jam. My first thought, "People still do that?" Yep... this is LA... do what you want. (we have seen this a few times but this is the first time I thought I'd write it in the blog.)

ps... did you all know that you can get cars these days with blue tooth technology so that when you are in your car and your cell phone rings... its automatically hooked up to your car speakers and all so all you do is just say "hello" and your connected? One of the architects in my office has one, along with all these other voice activated options. crazy! how do I get one of those??

This is LA #1, 2 & 3

I decided I'd like to start posting some of the crazy experiences that make me say to myself "only in LA" or "this is LA"- the later implying that I should expect crazy things from this crazy city. So... here are three that I've chosen for now:

1. The other day I was waiting for the bus outside of my office when a young lady ran up the light. She was on a jog and was waiting for the light to change so she could cross the street. The light began to change and she got ready to run again... and a car decided to make a last minute right hand turn, making the jogger wait a few more seconds before being able to cross. The crazy part: the jogger got so pissed at the car that she ran up to the back, kicked it in the bumper, and then ran off across the street. Although this story is not as crazy as it could be, I was still surpised. I've actually seen somebody do what we all think of doing sometimes. Kick that dumb car and get on with it. It made me laugh.

2. Last week was NeoCon West, some huge deign event in LA. They had events, displays, exhibitions, showrooms, seminars, etc. all week long. They also had parties... lots of them. One night the party was at the expo place... so at least 200 companies come in and set up booths promoting themselves. At about 6pm, the booths became mini bars. EVERY BOOTH had something free to drink. I only made it to three booths before I had to take a break and eat some food. The crazy part: they also hired models to blend in with the crowd to make the scene more "hip." No kidding. When the models started dancing in the crowd, a sales rep I was talking to, looked at me and said, "this is LA." Expect nothing less.

3. Last night at the bus stop I met a man who was also waiting for the bus. He seemed sorta confused about where he was going, and after he asked me for directions, he then told me basically his whole life story. He was dressed in simple athletic gear, smelled heavily of smoke, and had a torn coat. He said he was a professional golfer who needed to practice his "short game" so he only carried a few clubs around instead of the whole bag. He assured me that he is very wealthy, he owns a lot of the nearby businesses and several cars and two houses... but he can't drive because he has a cirulation problem and its bad for him to sit in the driving position for very long. When we got on the bus, he then told us about how he used to work with the Chicago Bulls and helped them in some of their player trading, and about how he knew OJ Simpson and one of his good friends that goes to visit him in jail. Then he whipped out a signed football by some dude that plays for the 49ers... and just before he got off on his stop he mentioned how next week he's off to Hawaii to play in some Championship tournament. I said "good luck" as he got off, the only words I'd spoken since he'd asked for directions. Is this for real? We'll never know.

Which one should I do??

Sex in the City

I love this show! Its one of those shows I intially avoided because... you know... I felt for some reason I just shouldn't watch it. But one night, Kevin was gone, I was all alone, I had nothing else to do... and lets be honest- the previews were interesting... so I watched it. I'm hooked. I love the show because of the commentary... Carrie Bradshaw has some of the most profound thoughts... I love it. Real issues, real people (okay, so its a TV show... but still).

Last nights show was so interesting to me, during commerical I ran to grab my journal to write some things down. Carrie said something along the lines of, "why are we so busy should-ing outselves?" As women, we put such immense pressure on ourselves for what we think we should be/do instead of what we could be/do. I totally relate!

Heres a quiz I took... Which Sex in the City girl are you like?? I scored the highest for Miranda! Yeah! Last night she and her family were house/apt shopping and Brooklyn and she just didn't like that area b/c of her ideas of it... and all of a sudden she exclaims "oh my God, I'm married." I don't know how many times I've had to remind myself of that... too independent and strong-willed sometimes!

Here's what the quiz said:
You scored 40% MirandaYou chose many of the same answers that Earth Sign-like Miranda, the cynical but pragmatic lawyer, might have chosen. Just like Miranda's had a tough time deciding whether to give in to the affections of Steve the Bartender, you don't give your heart up to just anyone. Miranda shies away from a relationship with Steve because he's 'just' a bartender, not something more conventionally ambitious or stable. Those with powerful Earth Sign qualities -- characteristics associated with Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn -- are cautious in love and seek stability and status over nearly anything else. Earth Signs provide a steady, realistic attitude and they can bring order out of chaos. A little-known Earth Sign fact: Incredibly sensual, you seethe beneath that smart, expensive business suit of yours, yearning for intimacy but hesitant to give up your material needs, your career ambitions or your responsibilities for a passionate moment that might not turn out the way you'd hope.

To take the quiz go to: http://quiz.ivillage.com/astrology/tests/sexandthecity.htm

The Williams Family Visit

Here are some pictures of my family from when they came out to visit us last week! I was really sad when they left... I did not expect that! The reality of how far away really hit me and that I might not get to see them all again for nine more months!

This picture is of my mom and dad at a thai restaurant called The Orchid that we went to in Santa Monica. The food was great!











Here is my mom, dad and Josh at the Santa Monica Pier. The weather forecast said it was going to rain the entire time they were here... but we barely got a drop! Instead, it was just way cold... so heres us trying to huddle together to stay warm while looking at the beautiful ocean!















Ice cream sandwiches at Diddy Reise (in Westwood, near UCLA)... they cost $1!













My family outside of the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach.












Josh got to touch a sting ray! (yes I was too chicken, you know me and creatures)














Kevin and I looking at one of the exhibits. They even simulated the humidity and wave action! We saw a ton of cool fish including jelly fish (my favorite- yeah right, I got stung by one on a family vacation in texas and have dreaded the creatures ever sense), sea horses of all kinds, huge lobsters and shrimp, eels, tiger sharks, bright colored frogs, and an octopus!






Us outside of Universal Studios.















3D glasses... several of the "rides" included 3D vedios.











On the studio tour we got to see some of the sets they've used recently in movies. This one is from War of the Worlds when the plane crashes into the neighborhood. We also saw Backdraft scenes, Hong Kong stuff, The Grinch set, the Desperate Housewives neighborhood, Jaws exhibit, and... I guess they were filming the sequel to Bruce Almighty but we couldn't see much.






And lastly, dinner at our apartment. There's Kevin trying to pretend to be excited about the carrot/beet salad I made. We also ate chicken and asparagus and Asian yams. Yummy!

Rubbing off on me

I did it. I actually missed a soccer game for the Oscars. I've been looking forward to them for weeks... In Kansas, I was lucky if I remembered they existed. Maybe its because they have been in the news for weeks here... "Hollywood begins preparation for Oscars", etc. Maybe its the HUGE billboard near our apartment that said "Oscars, March 5th, don't miss them!" Or maybe its the fact that like half the city shut down for the event... I don't know.

Bottom line: LA is rubbing off on me. I was SO excited to watch the Oscars, we even had a pre-Oscar party to watch some of the nominated movies! I am still sad for Joaquin Phoenix... I REALLY wanted him to win Best Actor!!! And I am SO glad that Brokeback didn't blow out everything... so overrated!!

Got to love it!

Inspired or Discouraged??

I am supposed to be studying for the LEED exam that I hope to take someday… and I’m finally about 3/4ths of the way thru all the material… but tonight as I read about Indoor Air Quality, I find myself very distracted. I am surprised.

Did you know that Americans spend an average of 90% of their time indoors, where levels of pollutants may be two to five times- and occasionally more than 100 times- higher than outdoor levels? (According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) Are you wondering how that is possible? I did. To summarize, indoor air pollution is caused by ventilation systems that fail to fully remove “old” air with fresh outdoor air. Bad systems can store dust, volatile organic compounds, microorganisms, and other contaminants for years. Not only that, but during construction and installation, the glues, paints and coatings, carpet, and wood we use release harmful chemicals into the air, that are frequently not fully flushed out of the building before it is opened to the public. Things like this can cause sicknesses and headaches, among other things, to anybody inside.

Sorry to bore you with technical info, but this was just the beginning of my surprise. Buildings aren’t as safe as I always assumed they were. Architects, contractors, and construction workers have a HUGE impact on the environment we live in every day. Not only that, but they can strongly influence your health and general well being by the way they design. And this is just one section of the several that I have read so far.

Its inspiring really. It is so easy for me to get discouraged at my job… especially when I sit day after day, staring at a computer screen, drawing some technical detail that seems so minor and really not that interesting. I especially hate the days where I walk out at the end of the day and realize that I’ve barely talked to another human being. I forget how God has allowed me to play a small part in the shaping of this earth and the environment that shelters and protects and provides for His people. Instead I focus on how my body aches from sitting down so long, and on how I dread opening AutoCad again to the same drawings I’ve been working on for months now. The other day I stepped out of the car and thought “God if only I could have one meaningful conversation today with somebody.”

I realize more and more lately how I rate the success of my day/life on the relationships I have. A completely unproductive day at work, yet full of random conversations and laugher, almost always beats a mostly full day of productivity. And… if I can’t have meaningful conversations at work b/c the environment and culture is not welcoming to this, than I find myself wishing I could be more productive, because at least if I can’t talk to somebody, I’d get something done. But then I find I’m not all that productive without being able to talk to somebody at least a little bit. So, you see, I’m in a bit of a bind.

And… as most people seem to perceive me as “quiet” I’ll clarify that when I say “talk to” somebody, I usually mean somebody talking to me. That’s right, I like to listen. Especially when I’m just getting to know somebody. And my close friends right now, are saying to themselves, “yeah right, Nikki and listening is maybe not two words I’d use together too frequently”, hence the comment about “especially when I’m getting to know somebody”.

Anyways, now that I’ve rambled and this email is on a completely different track than when I started, I’ll keep rambling. I think I’m just lonely here in LA. Its taking way too dang long to get to know somebody and when work seems to be filling most of my time, I seem to get depressed. I wonder, does my work environment just devalue the social aspects of life, or is that normal in the professional field? Am I just anti-social and need to be more aggressive and outgoing, or is it in some part, just LA, a huge city (a collection of 88 cities crammed into one- really!) and its just hard to get to know people?

Or maybe, its just the recent increase of family specific conflict that’s poured into my soul, that puts an overall shadow over everything. Yes, I think that’s definitely part of it.

I was going to write about volatile organic compounds and how God created an earth we’d have to die in, and about what spirituality really is, but I’ll save that for another day. Back to studying.

Yesterday's Headlines

Last nights headline news was: the rain.

Yesterday it rained all afternoon and evening and it was hilarious to watch LA react. The head news story was a reporter sitting at an intersection, with the camera just watching cars drive by and splash up water. haha. seriously. They played it over and over again too.

Second main story: corvette stuck in intersection because there is too much water to drive. Then it showed the corvette just sitting there with water running around its wheels, like maybe half way up the wheels.

Third story: Local fireman spend days preparing for today's storms (it shows a map and firefighters looking at "trouble" spots in LA), many homeowners out in the rain filling sandbags to protect their property.

Forth story: BMW on the side of the road. Somehow got pushed off the road, by water?

Fifth story (that I remember): one road that goes underneath a highway closed due to high water. local police men enforced. one car, maybe a small toyota managed to get around the blockade and drive through the water that is pretty high, only to get ticketed on the other side by another police officer.

Today's skys: Partially cloudy with stong winds. Slight morning midst shower. By 8:00 am, not a drop of water left.

The Bus Stop

Okay... this post is a little late but I wanted to share anyways. To get home, I have to catch two buses... one near the front of our office and another in West Hollywood. On Friday, traffic was horrific, so my second bus was almost an hour late. So I sat at the West Hollywood bus stop for almost an hour and watched cars drive by, until the last five minutes before the bus fianlly came and I remembered I had my ipod and started listening to music and dancing :) Anyways, I wanted to repot the cars I saw as I sat. (reported numbers are estimations) 2-Ferraris, 4-Corvettes, 2-specialty old cars (i don't know what they were exactly), 5-lexus SUVs, WAY too many BMWs to count, (thats like the standard car here), 3-porshes (however you spell it), and 3 Boxster convertibles. (at least I'm pretty sure thats what they were). Crazy huh? I thought it was interesting.

One Year Anniversary

Our one year anniversary was yesterday! I can't believe how fast the year has gone... and how much has changed. To celebrate, we didn't have much time or money, so we decided to get a hotel room downtown and explore the city some more. I know it doesn't sound too romantic but... who knows how long we'll live here and there is so much here that we haven't yet gotten a chance to experience. We started out by stopping by the Disney Concert Hall two hours before the next concert and seeing if we could get some last minute discounted tickets. They had about 20 seats still open so we could snag two seats. It was an awesome experience, listening to pieces by Beethoven and Stravinsky while being in a beautiful space. The picture below shows Kevin walking to the ticket booth.
The next picture (I hate how it didn't turn out, but the story is good so I have to show it anyways) is of the Toy Distict in LA. Not a good area to be walking around late at night. We ended up there on accident trying to find some Japanese restaurant I had read about in a book... and walked by probably hundreds of carboard boxes and tents. This picture isn't the most descriptive because we took it as we were leaving the area (we were a little uncomfortable) but in the cardboard box on the right is the somebody's home. I've never seen anything like it, in the United States, that is. The picture below is where we actually ended up for dinner after trying out four different restaurants. The Japanese one in Little Tokyo had a huge line, and after waiting an hour and being nowhere near being seated, we left. It ended up taking us another hour to find another restaurant anyways, but oh well, we got a good view. We shared a meal at the LA Prime Restaurant on the 35th floor of some famous hotel (yes I already forgot the name and don't want to look it up right now).
We stayed at a very trendy hotel in downtown for a discounted price because we stayed on a sunday night (I got monday off work for President's Day). Yes that is a glass window in the shower to the bed. Fun times.
Room service in the morning. A first for us.
Us standing outside the hotel in front of a palm tree.
Today we decided to head to Hollywood before coming home because they are having an Oscar display before the big event happens March 5th. There are signs for it everywhere all over the city. They had an Oscar there that you could hold and get a picture taken, so here's Kevin, get his first Oscar for... most creative idealist of futuristic cultural values. Whatever.
Thats it. I love posting pictures, it allows me to pretend that you all are here with us, sharing these experiences. We miss you all a lot!

Medical Scam

I went to the eye doctor yesterday, for my second exam this month. In the winter, I always have really dry eyes... so dry that sometimes I can't wear contacts for days at a time. It seems worse in LA, but I contributed that to working on a computer all day and all week. Well this eye doctor is either determined to fix that problem or a great scam artist. The first time I went in they suggested a new kind of contacts that allows the most oxygen to pass through... and yes it is a significant difference from the contacts I've had for years (if you compare the permeability of the old verses the new). They cost about $10 more a pack and I had a $100 contact fitting fee, which they assured me was customary for new clients. Then I had to go back in two weeks later (yesterday) to get my eyes looked at again to see if I was adjusting to the new contacts well. I didn't notice a difference between the new and the old... so this time she wrote me a perscription for an eye drop that I'd have to use twice a day. As well as giving me two new sets of the new contacts (yes-at least I got something for "free") and I have to come back in a month later to see how the drops and new contacts are doing. And... pay another doctor visit fee and she is convinced I need my eyes dilated b/c I haven't done it in a few years.

I always feel so helpless. The doctor suggests something and I just feel so unsure... can I trust her? Is this really worth it? Do I really need this? AHHHHHHHHHHH. I wanted to call my mom and ask her opinion. She always knew what I needed as a kid. Here I am 23 years old and married, and still needing my mom to go to the doctor with me.

So I go home and feel guilty. Am I spending money I don't have? well... yes, but is it for a good cause? AHHHHHHHH. I figure my eyes are always dry in the winter, I'll wait it out, and then in the summer I'll be fine. What should I do?

Somebody help me please. I have "decision making with doctors" syndrome.

Something

Happy Valentine's Day (yesterday)

I always think of these profound thoughts on the bus or late at night, to post on my blog, but then when I actually get back to the computer, nothing.

Latest news: conflict management, birth control issues, studying (still) for a professional certificate in environmental/green design, lots of public bus time, and... tonight is yoga. It kicks my butt everytime.

Well I just wanted to say hi, especially since I haven't posted in awhile. This Sunday is Kevin and I's one year anniversary. I can't belive its already here.

Getting Tired

Busy. Thats the word of our days lately. Hopefully it will not always remain this way, but I am thankful for things to be involved in, people to be spending time with. I would have pictures to show you... but our digital camera has been momentarily displaced and will hopefully return sometime this week :) Got to love husbands. haha (just kidding).

This last week I've been fighting a head cold. You know, those colds that aren't enough to keep you from your work but add just enough discomfort to the day to make you exhausted. So after my 1 hour and 15 minute commute by bus home, I ate dinner and went to bed. (that is, if I could). We had the most random thing happen to us this last week... as I was getting off the bus I met Kevin at Panera where he said he had bought some "friends" dinner. Of course, the instant he told me this on the cell phone I knew it was homeless people of some sort. One of my favorite things about Kevin is his generosity. He never thinks twice about helping those we pass in the streets in need... and we pass them nearly everyday. I am too anal and worried about money to give as freely as he can... so I praise God that he is not like me in that way and that his compassion is greater than his concern for wealth.

Anyways, back to the story. Basically, he met two people that had obviously been running away from home (from Arizona) and had run out of money. They were young, maybe in high school and had asked Kevin in the parking lot for bus money... and then when they realized he was willing to help they told their whole story. Their abusive step father had been drinking and had gone too far... they were out in LA, the place where everybody comes "to make it" and needed a place to stay and some food. We hooked them up with a local motel and thats when they introduced their blind uncle. He had been tagging along with them as well, but they didn't want to mention him earlier. As we drove them to the motel, the uncle started to get anxiety attacks from not having his medicine, so we then proceeded to drive them to a local emergency pharmacy place somewhere in LA... basically getting to spend a few hours with our new friends. It was an interesting night. We just hope they know God saw them that night and that He cares about them, and are glad that we could help that night.

Aside from that, we've had some tense discussions about money and then spent an entire 14 hours with this couple we've been hanging out with (another interiors person for the firm HOK and her husband). We went to the Getty Villa Museum (on opening day) then went back to their place to hang out, play games, and eat some more food. :)

Then Sunday came, today, and I'm tired. I'm helping with the Launch experience at Mosaic (that seminar like thing that helps empower people as God created them) this year so I had some meetings this morning with that.

Life is good. Its busy. :) I still miss all my Kansas people (and Missouri).

Bye bye for now... we are headed to a friends for a dinner of breakfast.

Mosaic Info

This is some cool stuff that Kevin and I have been learning about the organization we are a part of here in LA, Mosaic. Last Saturday we had a leadership conference thing- basically an event that gathers the leaders of Mosaic together to reinforce core values and discuss new changes, etc.

The core values of Mosaic (to some of you this will be review, but its still interesting, I promise)
1. Mission is why the church exists.
aka. People matter most.
2. Love is the context for all mission.
aka. Love permeates everything.
3. Structure must always submit to Spirit.
aka. Passion fuels action.
4. Revelance to culture is not an option.
aka. Revelance communicates truth.
5. The natural response to spirituality is creativity.
aka. Character causes change.

I think these are it. Basically they have a main statement and then another little slogan thing to help clarify. Kevin and I are really excited about the core values... it is understandable why Mosaic is a huge world movement not only in LA but around the world. They just planted Mosaic Germany this last fall and then next one is Mosaic Australia. Basically people read Erwin's books and if they agree w/ the core values, they can petition to become a Mosaic Wherever they are. It doesn't necessarily mean that Mosaic LA people went and planted somewhere. Kevin and I think that is a healthy sign that not only LA people are going out, but that these values are exciting people around the globe. Its much bigger than LA.

Secondly, Erwin gave a talk that he also gave at Orgins awhile ago about movements he believes must take place in the church for it really to be a life-transforming, Spirit movement, unity of those that are likehearted. They are listed below. (revised in my words from my notes)
The church must move from:
1. Standardization to Uniqueness.
Stop being consumed with discipline and holiness and conforming to be all exactly alike and focus more on the freedom of Christ, His unique giftings, and the beauty that is spread differently thru us all. Why? B/c misson is why the church exists- not a country club to help people become holy, but a place were broken people recieve freedom and transformation. People will not be drawn to standardization and a list of what to do and how to do it. People are drawn by power and love. This was hard for me and KV to accept at first, b/c we value discipleship so much. But lately, seeing as we will never reach the holiness we will strive to, it makes more sense to focus on others and letting the Spirit guide, than making sure I change myself.
2. Utility to Creativity.
Utility is all about the structure, plugging people in to the system, about a massive organization. Creativity is about empowering, encouraging people to dream big, being flexible to follow people's passions. Being okay with trying and messing up.
3. Homogidity to Diversity.
Strongly encouraging the church to reach outside of the "people like us". The real challenge is to love and value those quite unlike us, our peers. Homogidity communites that "we are everything" and that we value ourselves the most. Diversity communicates sincere love.
4. Pragmatism to Mysticism.
Pragmatism is mathmatical, dependant and limited by what we can define and fully know. Mysticism is unashamed to be connected to an unseen energy... to believe in things beyond the material world. It is intimacy based.
5. Conviction to Compassion.
People used to be dependent on bringing people to God thru this. I have heard this so many times, "but I must make sure they know what they are doing is wrong." It is not trusting in the power of the Holy Spirit to convict His own people in His own time. Compassion brings life not condemnation, as John 3:17 says. People want to know if love really exists... not if sin really exists. Live out love and trust the Spirit.

Well this is what we spent a large part of our weekend studying. Kevin and I are very excited to be here and be part of this movement!

Another car struggle

Okay so today as I was on my way to drop off Kevin at his brother's so that they could head out to San Francisco for an intersession course this week... our one remaining car, the Camry, starts smoking. We took it to a brake place we saw down the street and then I caught a bus to get to work while they checked it out. (Steve came and picked up Kevin from the brake place). I guess there is something wrong with our brakes.. a caliber (I think, I have no idea). Anyways, bottom line is... it's going to cost $500 to fix.

I can't help but feel my stomack sink a little. I hate money matters and here we go again. It just seems to be one thing after another for us out here. Maybe thats just life and I'll have to get used to it. Maybe I'll leave the country.

The weekend

Here I am at work, trying to stay somewhat focused... I just finished putting together a large presentation of the interior of a private middle school in Beverly Hills. The project is currently projected to cost over 50 million dollars and to increase rapidly over the next few years. Craziness. What lucky middle school kids. Do they know the carpet that they might walk on could cost around $30 a yard? Its hard for me to see the bigger picture, although it is fun to think about helping middle school kids.

I could not for the life of me sleep last night. At 3:30am I finally got up and decided to try to read a book on money management, thinking that would help me fall asleep. But sure didn't. My mind stayed wide awake, although bored. So here I am after two hours of sleep. I feel quite alright actually, my body kicks back onto its backup system pretty easily... I guess it hasn't forgotten those college days after all.

So the interesting story of the weekend is this: Kevin and I went to Six Flags Magic Mountain in LA on Saturday. They are famous for their rollar coasters... sixteen in all I think. I got to ride three. Three... and then I was done. Maybe forever. The last rollar coaster I rode was called the Goliath...
Towering 255-feet above earth, the massive steel superstructure has one of the world's tallest drops and at speeds of 85 miles-per-hour, it is one of the fastest roller coasters of modern day. Combining traditional coaster thrills with a few new devilish twists, GOLIATH sends riders on a 3-minute "non-stop" high speed adventure over 4,500 feet of steel track with daring "butterflies-in-your-stomach" plunges, huge sweeping spirals, zero-gravity "floating" hills and drops, and the 120-foot-long tunnel shrouded in total darkness for the thrill of a lifetime!

Well after that huge drop and the tunnel we broke into a series of intense spirals... during which I blacked out for a few seconds. The G forces were so strong my mind wigged out. It was seriously scary... I didn't know whether to start crying or laughing... b/c it was an awesome ride yet I could have nearly died. Anyways, thats it... I think I'll retire from them for awhile.

Rose Bowl

I only have one thing to say to my fellow co-workers here in LA...

GO TEXAS!!

haha.

It was just too tempting... I couldn't pass it up, regardless of my lack of interest in football.

Nerves

I just had to give a recorded testimony of the car accident to the adjuster of the BMW owner... I have to admit, this car thing is really working my nerves. It can make me feel so anxious. I just figure I have nothing more to lose... the car is already gone and we have no money he can take anyways... ahhhhhhhhh. It turns out both cars were totaled so now we are dealing with who's insurance claim pays for what, whos liable, etc. ahhhhhhhhhhhh.

Aside from that, my firm's Christmas party is this afternoon... I can barely wait for the holiday to be here. Kevin and I can't wait to see family and friends again- its made this last week dreadfully slow. Friday night we are celebrating our first Christmas together, before we head out Saturday for Kansas. Kevin keeps buying me gifts... I can't keep up.

The Nissan Eulogy

Our 1995 Nissan Altima (sometimes referred to as "The Cloud") passed away this Monday morning, Dec 12th 2005, quite suddenly and unexpectantly. Our almost three year relationship ended abruptly when a blue/silver BMW beheaded her in a nearly head on collision. The Nissan is mostly still intact... just the most important and valuable parts probably are no longer usable. The damage will be far more than the worth of the car... hence the diagnoses that the Nissan is now "dead". Time seems to freeze as the Nissan let out her last breath when the air bag exploded near my face.

I feel sad sometimes when I think about how quickly the Nissan was destroyed. One minute I was walking to my car to head off to work, and the next I was standing on the street's curb, staring in shock at my car as the transmission and radiator fluid poured out. Neither of the drivers were seriously injured… he did have a small gash in his head from his air bag but he was quickly calmed and treated. I had some soreness of neck and back but after visiting the chiropractor the next day, was almost as good as usual.

The neighbors, our landlord, the wife of the BMW owner, firemen, and police officers were all very kind, acting as though this was something that happened every day. In fact, I heard more than once, "welcome to LA" as sightseers passed by and stopped to see the wreckage.

Kevin and I currently have a rented car to use for a few days and then we will figure out how to live in this huge, auto-land, with one car… at least for now. We are thankful for God's mercy and provision as we had just finalized car insurance nearly a week before and no serious injuries were caused. No blame has been placed yet, I think both drivers did the best they could at the time. We will find out the insurance company's response in a few days though.

The story (in a nutshell)… I was coming out of our apartment parking lot, trying to make a left hand turn. The street I was turning onto to has poor visibility b/c cars park along both sides. I am always nervous pulling out… looking both ways for sometimes several minutes before heading out. This time, I thought I was clear, after watching a black SUV park further up the road one way, and watching the nearest light turn red the other way. I didn't see the BMW until my air bag exploded.

And that is our latest LA adventure/experience. We have survived yet again. Thanks for all your calls, emails, support and prayers…. We really appreciate you all. And remember, especially as you see the pictures below, that I really am okay.

The entrance to our parking spot... we drive underneath another complex to get to our apt in the back... this is where I was pulling out from to make a left turn.

My car is shown above and then the BMW below...

But remember... I'm okay! Just a little sore...

On another note, here are some pictures from LA that we took this last weekend.

Shown above is my favorite flower in LA... and I haven't figured out what it is called yet. Any ideas?

It is unusual to find a tree that has leaves that actually act like its winter... so I had to take a picture of one. This is in a garden at the Getty museum.

I took this picture for Jill... I was thinking of you at the garden and took this picture :) Its not as good as yours though!

Kevin making a carrot cake... I've been (trying to) teach him everything Cindy and Heather taught me.

I love you all and love you and can't wait to come to KS soon!