A Cautionary Tale

Two Fridays ago the bearded man and I had returned home after a long night out and about in Downtown LA. I was really tired and when I needed my cell phone, asked him to throw it to me. Those were my exact words: throw it to me. Unfortunately for me, the bearded man not only took them literally and did throw it, but since I was underneath a blanket threw it at the big blob instead of into maybe a pair of hands. The result? My first (and hopefully last) black eye. I can attest to the corner of an iPhone with a very hard plastic case in the eye will cause immense amounts of bruising and cause one to scream/cry like a 3 year old (maybe that's just me). Luckily for me it was the weekend and I had a few days to deal with the pain and start to laugh about my misfortune before work on Monday. Even luckier is the bearded man who in testimony to his character not one person doubted our I Love Lucy style explanation.

The bruising is all gone now and with plenty of time before the wedding. So brides and anyone who doesn't want a black eye, I don't recommend ever asking for a phone to be thrown to them unless they know exactly where it's headed.

p.s. 12 days! ACK!

5 weeks to go!

I didn't think I'd actually end up this close to my wedding day sans venue contract signed, or with any definitive wedding colors, or just a sketch of what my centerpieces will look like, but that's how it goes. Life just has a habit of getting away from you and before you know it you're faced with things like marriage license requirements and big decisions like what do I want my name to be?

The bearded man and I went to our respective bachelor/bachelorette parties last week. And even though we both went to Sin City we managed to avoid seeing each other the entire time. I did try to text him, but had the phone taken away immediately after. It was the first time I had gone that long without speaking to him in the 5 years since we've met (this includes my time in Brazil and D.C.) and it was a lot harder than I thought. I've gotten so used to someone else being willing to listen 24/7 and luckily my girlfriends were nice enough to by my sounding board.

So wedding plans, what's left. Well besides the license, it's mostly logistics and supplies. Trying to figure out how to transport and chill 800 beverages (that's 1 beverage per hour per person), how to display my cupcakes/candy bar (I ditched cupcakes as centerpieces) and who is going to take all of it down at the end of the afternoon (beg friends and family to help?). This brings me to the hardest part of wedding planning, asking for help. I like to host parties and I like to organize and plan, but as much as this wedding is my party I'm hosting I can't do the traditional things I'd do like set-up and clean up, making sure that everyone has drinks or that the food is good. So it's delegation time to the bearded man, to my kickass Maid of Honor, to my family and friends who have volunteered their assistance. So with a hope and a prayer it will all come off without a hitch. Time to start learning the anti-rain dance for April 2!

Featured on Metro's the Source Blog

I'm so excited to report that my "Why I Ride" profile I submitted to Metro was posted today to the Source blog. I've appreciated reading the different profiles about why people choose to ride Metro or in some cases choose not. I've also thought the suggestions provided by many of those profiled have been useful and constructive. My main suggestion (despite being a daily rail user) is to improve the quality of the bus system in LA. The infrequency, unreliability and lengthy trip times of the current bus system make them a choice for only those without any other option.

The bearded man and I discussed yesterday why we love where we live so much yesterday. And despite the cute neighborhood of shops and cafes the real reason we love it is our commute. We both manage to have 20 minute commutes to our workplaces. The key thing in the future will be a) always considering our commute when we choose where to live and b) being willing to move if the job is worth it so that we can live approximately halfway between both of our jobs. This also means that purchasing a home does not work with this philosophy, because that will essentially root us in one place. As much as I would love to be able to rip out the carpet in my living room or throw large outdoor BBQs in a big backyard it does not outweigh all the extra time I have added to my day by not driving.

New Year's Resolutions

No I'm not starting early for 2011, but I was about to write out a To Do list when I came across my 2010 New Year's Resolutions. I'm so glad I kept this, because it's fun to see which of those things I've crossed off, which I still haven't done and those I completely forgot about even promising to do.

1. Exercise 3x/week and go to yoga 1x/week.
I haven't kept this up consistently throughout the year, but this was by far my healthiest year yet. I think a lot of this has to do with the fact that I'm not commuting 45 min or more each way to work and have an extra 90 minutes a day to spend at yoga or working out. Funny enough I also canceled my gym membership this year, because with 2 people and 1 vehicle having to drive to a separate location to work out was not convenient. Instead I've switched to yoga classes down the street from my train station, running outside and Jillian Michael's 30-day Shred at home in the living room.

2. Take a trip to a different continent.
This was one of the worst years for traveling. Although the bearded man and I managed to fit in a lot of shorter trips: Grand Canyon, Vegas, Seattle, San Francisco (twice), San Diego; there was no international travel. Our last trip of the year will be to another national park which is great since we'll probably not be able to fit one in next year with the wedding.

3. Consolidate IRAs.
A major fail on this one, especially since it's been on my list for 2 years! I hate dealing with the paperwork, but I'm going to make a concerted effort to try and get this done by the end of the year. Due to my plethora of jobs, I have about 5 disparate accounts all just languishing.

4. Cook food I like.
I have to hand it to Real Simple for all of the awesome easy recipes with a few ingredients. The bearded man and I cooked through all 20 of the dinners listed in their 4-week menu plan for dinner. I would say we enjoyed more than 75% of them and there are some we have already made again! I also need to credit again my lack of a commute for my ability to cook more often.

5. Organize apartment/purge.
We have a constant "outbox" where we put stuff that we want to give away and every so often I go through my wardrobe to look for items I no longer wear, are worn out or don't fit. The best plan I can think of for doing this is Apartment Therapy's Home Cure, which just finished but there are awesome short videos to lead you through it. Coupled with the book makes it easier than you might think.

6. Invest in home furnishings/art.
Only made modest progress on this one. We bought a big mirror for the living room and finally framed our favorite photo from a trip to Brazil, but that's it. The majority of our walls are still just plain old white. As for furnishings we purchased a chest for the living room to hold the pull-out bed sheets/blankets, a liquor cabinet/board game holder, and some new throw pillows, but that's about it.

7. Run two half marathons.
I ran three this year, so here's one resolution officially checked off complete.

8. Finish college scrapbook.
I have made so little progress on this one that I wonder if I'll ever want to finish it, but I think I'll make the commitment to finish this one and then maybe go for easier digital versions in the future (Shutterfly, Costco photobooks, etc.) I just never want to take the time to get out all of the supplies, make the necessary amount of mess and clean it up.

So out of 8 resolutions I've managed to do at least most of them a little and 3 of them completely. Guess it's time to start thinking about some new goals for 2011, maybe blogging a little more frequently?

A New Topic for a Bit

As much as I love writing about transit, it's been getting a little tedious. Mostly because I tend to travel the same route 5 days a week and except for the occasional rant or transit-related news item there isn't much for me to write about. But I have been ditching my usual reading of transit and policy blogs/articles for a much different topic- Weddings.

The bearded man and I got engaged a couple days after our 4 year anniversary. He couldn't do it on the actual anniversary date, because I'd be "expecting it and it wouldn't be a surprise." So instead he chose to wait to a random rainy Saturday after coming home from brunch with his Dad. There was no grand gesture, but it made me laugh and I started cursing once I realized what was actually happening. So fast forward 7 months and we are now 6 months away from our wedding date- 04.02.11. And interestingly enough my dependency on public transit has affected some of my wedding planning decisions- so this blog won't totally lose its feel. But since I've managed to already change it once, I thought why not one more time? This will be a whirlwind of activity and I thought that it might be fun to invite the internets in on the fun/chaos.

Thanks for putting up with me!

-Juice

Am I a loser?

According to Hollywood, I just might be. Slate has a great article entitled "Dude, Where's your car?: How not having a car became Hollywood shorthand for loser". This is an idea not lost on me. I often wonder what people think about the fact that I live in L.A. and there's only 1 freeway-drivable car in a 2-person household. I would argue that not having a car to get me to all my destinations, has increased my cool factor.

1. I'm not stuck in my car for 90-120 minutes a day commuting 5 days a week. Although this means I don't get to listen to endless amounts of bad radio, I do get to spend my commuting time listening to my iPod and This American Life podcasts.

2. By having only 1 car, we were forced to move to a transit-friendly neighborhood. In addition to being near transit I also live within two blocks of a local wine store, Trader Joe's, two yoga studios, half a dozen restaurants, two coffee shops and a bakery.

3. I'm able to shop at the weekly Thursday farmer's market, something I never got home in time to visit when I drove. I can also make almost any yoga class or dinner date within 30 minutes of me being off of work, even on a Friday! (Gasp! Has taking public transit turned me into one of those crazy hipsters who only shop locally? And if so, isn't that the definition of Hollywood cool these days?)

4. A weird side effect of not driving during the week is how little I drive on the weekends and nights. The bearded man and I tend to stay within the 10 mile radius area around our place, which just happens to include Downtown LA the newest cool spot to be in Lala land.

So I guess I will dust off those weird stares and uncomfortable pauses when I tell people I don't drive very regularly. I'll remind myself there are millions of New Yorkers who never even care to get their license and not worry about being called out like poor Cher.

Metro caused me to move

Shortly after I started taking the bus on a regular basis from Whittier to Downtown L.A., two things happened: 1) I got a new job located at the transit hub in L.A., aka Union Station and 2) my bus commute became unbearable on one rainy day in early October. The benefits of my work being located at THE transit hub are enormous. Rather than having to take a very slow Municipal bus line (a.k.a. Montebello Bus) and having to transfer to an equally slow Metro bus (#33/#333) to get to Pico-Union, I now had the advantage of taking a very slow Metro bus (#270) to several very fast, Express buses by a variety of transit providers. It didn't cut down the overall trip time by much, but it did allow me to walk to the bus stop from my house. This all worked out very nicely until one day it rained in L.A. And for those of you who aren't native Angelenos this means the entire city is thrown into chaos.

I had arrived to work relatively on-time most days via my new route and was surprised at how even the unpredictable rain didn't affect my travel time to work. Unfortunately, it was the ride home where my faith in bus transit started to wear thin. I waited at my stop next to the El Monte Busway for any express bus that was headed towards El Monte Bus Station. As I stood there, three buses that would have taken me to my transfer point were so full that two didn't stop and one stopped loading passengers. By the time I was able to board Foothill Transit's Silver Streak I had missed my transfer connection. For a regular route, this wouldn't be a problem, but the Metro 270 only runs once an hour! Add that the cold weather and rain and I called in the cavalry and asked the bearded man to come pick me up.

This long roundabout story played a large part in our decision to move to a location where I'd be within walking distance of a Metro Gold Line stop that has a frequency of approximately every 8 minute during peak hours. It means no more transfers, no more waiting at a stop wondering if the bus will ever come and a 99% likelihood I'll have somewhere to sit. More to come on the move, and the ever evolving result of having only 1 car in a city ruled by what you drive.

Old Friends Good Times

I had the opportunity to spend some time last night with my friends from elementary school. Most of these girls I haven't seen in over 10 years! I left my grade school after 6th grade to go to an all-girls school (much to my dismay) and didn't really keep in good contact with most of them since then (probably due to my inability to drive, use the phone at my convenience, etc. at the age of 12). But one of my friends from my past is getting married and all of our Moms who really miss hanging out with each other wanted to get together to celebrate. It was so much fun seeing all of them and it wasn't until I got home and showed the bearded man my elementary school yearbooks did I realize how instrumental all of them were in making me who I am today.

I've always found it unfortunate that there are people in your life that you are no longer as close to as you once were. There were years when I spent the majority of my waking moments with these lovely girls. We did everything together from selling girl scout cookies to getting detention together in 5th grade. I've also found that as you get older it becomes even more difficult to keep all the people that once were close to you in that same reach. The bearded man is very lucky seeing as his two best friends he's known since the age of 3 and is still very close to both of them today. I hope one day that I'll reestablish my relationships with a lot of these wonderful women and my other high school/college/grad school/past coworkers who I've lost touch with.

p.s. My friend Monica has a really cool blog about eating healthy and running. Two things I've been trying to do more regularly, and she's MUCH better about updating it than me. Check it out here!

Another Touchy Subject

It's rare that I read an article and feel even more perplexed than before I read it. This typically happens when the answer as to what is right or wrong does not immediately pop out, such as in this article published in the NY Times magazine called "Her Body, My Baby". After reading this woman's trials and tribulations in becoming a mother through a surrogate, I couldn't decide how I felt about the situation. Maybe it is not necessary for me to feel any one way, since it doesn't have to do with me, but I encourage others to read it and see how they feel. I especially recommend perusing the over 400 comments, that can be very harsh if you want a dose of what other opinionated folks think out there. At the very least, check out the pictures attached to the article, in which the surrogate mother is pictured very pregnant a week before giving birth on a porch with no shoes and her dog, contrasted with the author holding her child with a nurse maid standing behind her, arms behind her back. I thought it was particularly interesting that it was the surrogate's 2nd pregnancy for another couple and that her own daughter had donated eggs to pay for college, so the level of normalcy and acceptance was unusual. I published a previous post about the decision of motherhood that faces the majority of women, and my apprehension regarding the subject. I guess it's just one of those things that you never know how you'll feel until it is actually happening. That's all for now, folks, I promise to find a more juicy news piece for tomorrow.

They're here!

The holidays and U.S. recession have both officially arrived. Both of these should come as no surprise seeing as Christmas decorations have been up at Macy’s since Halloween and the Dow looks like some scary roller coaster design from Six Flags. Believe it or not, I’m starting to feel like I’m ready for both of these events, but for different reasons.

The holidays are only as stressful as you allow them to be. I know that visiting the family can be trying at times, but remember this is the time when you get the 411 on all the juicy family gossip and are fed for free at the same. I’ve already managed to turn this past long weekend into money saved on groceries and time saved on cooking by making sure to eat at least 3 meals with the family. The majority of stress usually comes from having to decide what to buy everyone. Problem is inherently solved after a few clicks on Amazon, Overstock or Target. Just enter that person’s favorite movie, music, book, food, etc. and there will be matches galore. Plus, most of these sites are offering free shipping which will save you the headache of the mall. Next, instead of spending a lot of time and money decorating I suggest just picking one thing you want to put up whether it be the tree or the wreath or the lights or a poinsettia, all you really need is one of those to look festive. Finally, don’t forget to splurge on yourself and take the time you need to be in a good mood come the big day, because who wants to end 2008 tired and bitter? Remember after Christmas you have less than one week to start thinking about next year’s resolutions.

As for the recession, my generation has little to worry about, especially if you are currently employed. The recession will have little long term effect on our 401Ks and IRA accounts, plus it puts us in a unique position to be making decent returns when the upturn begins. Invest in solid companies now, and avoid loans/credit cards like the plague (with the exception of educational loans). The time to buy some real estate is almost upon us, so SAVE, SAVE, SAVE!

2008 is a year plagued by bad news from the economy to the world, with 2009 on the horizon it feels like we’ll need to trade in our fear for a good dose of hope and trust in a silver lining. Until then, I will enjoy my 24 hour Christmas carol radio station as I sit in my office watching the sun set on another 77 degree California winter day.

Skin Stories

Since I started this blog a little over a month ago, I have realized how difficult it is to come up with original posts and to avoid using this little medium as my list of complaints and rants. So I apologize to those of you who had hoped for more consistent posting, if anyone has suggestions please forward them along.

Today I read/heard about at least three different articles related to dermatology issues. As someone who has suffered through her fair share of these specialists, I have been to the worst and the best of dermatologists. I suffered from really bad acne starting at around 12 and peaking at about 15. During that time the majority of my doctors recommended the same routine, creams, stringent face washing, and random antibiotics. Luckily for me, I also had a mother in the medical field to supplement my treatment with facials at Georgette Klinger in Beverly Hills & birth control to help balance out my hormones and reduce breakouts. The facials were so awful that my mom would have to bribe me to go with lunches and new outfits. I just remember women with European accents digging into my pores and removing all of the dirt and grime accumulated in them at various levels of pain.

Finally my Dad, who has also had his fair share of dermatologists, found one doctor in all of Kaiser who was willing to think outside of the box. She put me on the very controversial medicine Accutane. This medicine was a classic case of gender discrimination, doctors would hesitate giving it to young women, because of the birth defects it caused, rather than assuming that women were smart enough not to get pregnant while taking this medication. I took it the summer between sophomore and junior year and watched as the extreme Vitamin A levels in my body caused the layers of skin to fall off. It was a bad summer since the medicine makes you very dry and peel and just horribly red.

Then in college, I found a dermatologist to the stars that a friend of the family had recommended. She was phenomenal, and rather than prescribing random antibiotics actually found out what kind I needed and told me to throw away all the fancy soap/masques/lotions and just use Cetaphil. This really revolutionized my idea of skincare and to this day I owe her the relatively few breakouts I have today. (Too bad she ended up on house arrest, because of unpaid taxes. And her husband committed suicide the day he was to be sentenced in court.)

There's an article in the New York Times today about how the medical side of dermatology is being overshadowed by the cosmetic side. No wonder this has happened as doctors can make 3 to 6 times more shoving middle-aged women with botox than dealing with acne or abnormal moles. At the same time the more doctors learn about melanoma and skin cancer in general, the more preventable it has become. And surprisingly at the same time we have a Presidential candidate who suffered from the disease, we might also find it being pushed aside in favor of cosmetic peels and lifts. What's happened to the Hippocratic oath?

Debt: The American Way of Life?

The New York Times has recently started a series entitled The Debt Trap. It highlights stories of average Americans and their long and sad trip down the path of bankruptcy, ruined credit, foreclosure, unemployment, etc. and examines how America's fascination with material things and the banking industry has contributed to this expanding phenomenon. I found the article about Ms. McLeod heartfelt and emotional, and happy to see her take responsibility for the majority of her poor economic decisions. The question remains how is this situation prevented in the future, and I'm particularly concerned with my generation. How much does the average mid to late 20 year old know about interest rates (variable vs. fixed), what the APR stands for at the bottom of their credit card statement or how much of their salary they should invest in their employer's 401k? I'm afraid the answer might be a lot less than they should and only slightly more than their parents.

As home prices spiraled out of control over the past 5 years, the idea of owning a home seemed to be a very distant possibility, only compounded by my unwillingness to leave L.A. and its expensive real estate. I remember at my previous job doing economic research, my boss was shunned by many in the field for suggesting in 2005 that the balloon would bust and it would be bad. Three years later his predictions are held to be more than accurate, as foreclosures increased in the L.A. County 261% this quarter in comparison to 2007 figures. Although prices are decreasing my favorite economist Paul Krugman believes they have a long way to go before they stop. And as this may sound like my opportunity to begin my foray into real estate, the credit crunch may prove securing a home loan near to impossible.

In the past, families' wealth laid mainly in their home and other real estate purchases they made. The equity was used to finance education for their children, improvements to the property and even pay for unexpected events such as medical crises. With home equity eroding and the prospect of owning a home for renters becoming a distant goal, I wonder if my generation will be able to accrue true wealth. At the same time, my need for new clothes, shoes, dinners with friends, drinks after work, and trips abroad never seem to subside. I can only hope my reading of the economic tea leaves will bear fruit in the long run and I too will be able to climb out of the Debt Trap once and for all.

Stay-Cation #1

Last week I headed to the Bay for what seemed like a vacation, but was inevitably a whirlwind of activities. As a result, I slothed through the entire week at work and made it to this past weekend, firmly deciding to have what my local news channel calls a "Stay-Cation". What this involves is what other people call staying home and vegging out, but this funky little hybrid word makes me feel cool when I stay home. Here's a short breakdown of what I did on my first stay-cation.

Friday evening after work, I headed out of the office to eat at a new eatery in the middle of Downtown L.A., by the name of Rocket Pizza. It was good pizza, thin-crust, and the Amstel Light was crisp and refreshing. The only thing I wasn't too happy about was the large Caesar that had about 10 pieces of lettuce in it. After, it was off to Bar 107, a rare drinking hole in LA, where you can order Colt 45 and Schlitz Malt Liquor (not that you would want to). My bearded friend ordered a Guinness and after finishing it found a lemon seed at the bottom of the glass. Seeing as he had already downed his drink, he was forced to deal with the bacteria he might have imbibed. But he wanted to ensure this didn't happen to someone else so he showed the bartender who responded with "That's awesome!". 'Nuf said. (Cheap parking note: Free at all meters after 6pm, but if you get there before, try parking on Los Angeles St, there are usually open spots, but be careful after dark.)

Saturday was not terribly interesting either, but I did go see the same movie half of America saw...Space Chimps. I'm only kidding, the Dark Knight, lived up to its hype, it was dark and it was sad to watch Heath on screen for the last time, but I did have a few issues with the film. First, Batman's voice is very odd, a friend of mine thinks it might be strep, I'm worried it might be more serious like a growth on his vocal chords. Maybe he should have Alfred book him an appointment with an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist. Also, did anyone else notice that it seemed like the movie was over, just to have it restart for the last 30 minutes? I was getting ready to head out of the theater, when I realized there was another story arc just beginning. All in all, two thumbs up, but I prefer my comic book movies with slightly more humor.

Sunday though was by far the best, because I visited my favorite summertime spot in all of L.A., the Hollywood Bowl! It was great to see all of the urban hipsters out of Silver Lake, and WeHo to watch the Feist and eat their organically grown food from Whole Paycheck. I particularly enjoyed the opening act Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, she rocked it out! For those of you who haven't partaken in the Bowl I suggest you buy some tickets (they're cheap!) , pack up some dinner and a few bottles of wine and enjoy one of L.A.'s true gems. One piece of advice is to park at Hollywood & Highland to avoid stacked $20 parking. Take the shuttle ($3 roundtrip) or walk (1/2 mile) to the Bowl and on your way back buy a Starbucks for the road, validate your parking and pay $2 (for the first 4 hours).

I can't wait until Stay-Cation #2- I think this will include a trip to the Griffith Park Observatory and maybe a beach...but the unplanned nature is what is important so I'll leave it up in the air.

Side note: For those of you (like me) who love Starbuck's holiday menu and wait for the drinks to show up in November, most of them will make you a Peppermint Mocha (or whatever else you desire) if they still have the syrup on hand! Who knew? It only added to my perfect evening!

To Baby or not to Baby...That is the Question

As many of you know, I'm an only child and to an extent have spent a significant amount of time deciding whether I would have preferred siblings or if its better to have all the attention. I think as you get older there is a definite shift in preference. When I was little I didn't seem to mind not having a brother or sister very much. My friends with siblings seemed to always want them out of their room and away from their stuff. I didn't have to share my toys, room, clothes, etc. and my parents let me spend the night at my friends' house fairly liberally. Even in high school it seemed like a good deal I got a car when I turned 16, mainly so my parents would be relieved of having to shuttle me around, something that probably wouldn't have happened if I had older siblings.

But post-high school I think being the only child has started to have more costs than benefits. First of all you're the only one to help out with family events, crises, situations, etc. No one else to share the load and as I think about my parents getting older and becoming seniors citizens the thought of taking care of everyone by myself really begins to stress me out. Another thing is since I'm so used to having them there all the time I find it very difficult to be away from my family. I've attempted to live other places, but found it lonely and depressing at times (although very freeing at other times).

Now that I'm getting older and thinking about having kids of my own, I've come to believe that it wouldn't be fair for me to only have one kid. I mean it already doesn't have aunts/uncles or cousins and without a sibling it would really be all by itself. Its hard to imagine that there are parts of the world with what is being termed "extreme low birth rates", to the point where if things don't turn around countries will be at less than 1/2 of their current population in the next 3 decades. The NY Times Magazine has a great (but very long article), about this phenomenon. At the same time I don't know if I can blame the Euros for having fewer kids, children are extremely expensive these days and when gas is $4.60 a gallon its hard enough to make ends meet. But also as a woman its a big decision to make, having to process changes to career goals, travel plans or whatever else I imagined my life to be like, that now won't be possible (or will be at least that much harder). Luckily for me at least, it will be a while before I cross that bridge.