Crashing California

It's been a week and a bit since my last email. Lots of stuff has happened, of which I'm going to try my best to let you in on, ofcourse =) Most recently this past Tues. I was involved in a low key food photo shoot for JC, of which I played the role of sole photog. (!!) I was VERY nervous but rented some lights and a crazy lens and the photos turned out fabulously! Food can be one of the hardest things to shoot, but one of my co-workers was the cook/food stylist and did a phenomenal job! I also (ofcourse) did some practice @ home with the equip. the night before, and am posting my pics (here is a link to the album: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=248930&id=622540106&l=f0dd41fdb1 ) ... it was a blast and I hope I get to do it again. Of course, there is our whole, home-hunting situation. Turns out the market down here (because of all the foreclosures and such) is quite aggressive, I called on one place I had my eye on and it already had 26 offers on it!!! basically...

I've had a phenomenal weekend. It's literally been one of "those" weekends, where everything seemed as it should ... and nothing but joy and blessing fell over me. Aside from getting a tad sunburnt on Saturday, hanging with some good friends on Sunday, here is the highlight: On Friday evening we got word from our bank that we were officially "pre-approved" for a mortage (!!!) Can you stand it? I still can't really believe it ... it seems too good to be true. Coming from the mindset of a couple years ago that I'd prob. buy my first house when someone passed away and left us an inheritance of somekind ... to being exactly where we are in history right now. With the whole crumbling down of the economy, those of us who are blessed enough to still have work and nothing else, are all of a sudden in the drivers seat in so many ways. We had no money before and therefore lost nothing with all the Wall street hoo-haa, and now, with our meager savings and a ...

I'm having one of those moments/mornings where my brain is quite actively thinking about life, or rather, what we're supposed to do with ours. We had dinner last night with a young friend of ours (our drummer Mike) and our conversation turned to music, and the proverbial "making it" (whatever making it means) and Mike informed us (among other things) that if he didn't "make it" in music by the time he was 30 (he's 24 ... oh, to be 24) he was going to move to Colorado and become a park ranger. Now, I'm not sure how incredibly serious he was about his alternate career choice, but speaking those words to two people who are OVER 30 (and still wondering about life and what it's all about) it was slightly comical, and also, depressing if we were to let it. Music is one of those liquid-type things. There are players who are able to craft emotional songs that connect with listeners and bond to their lives and times. There are song-writers who write l...

So, right now I feel like my toes are burning from being stuck in high heeled shoes ... (just thought I'd share!!) But down to business! I have a couple fun stories to share ... My first experience with the American Health Care system ... two Friday's ago I went to a family clinic ... waited for about an hour ... paid my "copay of $15" ... went into the doctors office (waited another 20 mins or so) saw said doctor (who stepped out to answer a cellphone call in the middle of my appt.) got lab work and a prescription, got scheduled for a "follow-up" appt. the following Friday. Showed up said following Friday ... waited another 40 mins ... paid my "co-pay of $25" for my second visit ... waited another 1/2 in the doctors office to find out that my lab never got the results to my doctor, they don't know what's wrong with me and would I like to make another appointment ... well, no, I just wasted my time AND money to find out this overly valuab...