Coffee Talk Topics

1. There are no more Hand Jobs in Redondo Beach. One of my original roomies is leaving LA tomorrow morning for med school. Even though we didn't hang out much the last two years, I'll still miss her. We had dinner tonight and were taken back to our first year here -- when there was a car wash a few blocks from our house called "Hand Job."









2. There are more current NBA players than there are working television writers. While reading Drew's blog (the first one in like ten years) today, I was reminded of this random fact I heard over the weekend. I have no proof of this, but I believe it to be true.

Five Years Ago

At about this time five years ago, I was sitting on a plane waiting to come back to the U.S. I'd just spent the last five months in Australia, but my time was over. Sitting on the plane, I read a letter my friend Casey had written me and instructed me not to read until I'd at least boarded the plane.

As I read her words telling me how much I'd meant to her, tears began to roll down my cheeks. It was the second time I'd cried in the last few days -- the first time was when I'd said goodbye to one of my good "friends" who I'd realized wasn't just a friend after all. Although he didn't see me cry when I left him in my parking lot, he was the first guy that ever made me tear up.

And although I was sad to be leaving Australia, I loved the experience it had given me. At the time I just thought I'd had a great time meeting amazing people and petting "exotic" animals. But as I looked back months later...and now years later, I realize(d) that it wasn't just about feeding 28s, koalas, and 'roos. It changed me in a way that I didn't even think was possible. It opened my mind to what religion truly is; it taught me that karaoke is a blast; it showed me that Americans aren't the world's favorite citizens; and it introduced me to a group of people that I thought accepted me, yet pushed me to grow.

It was all those things that changed me...and five years later I'm just seeing the fruits from that time. It's odd that some of our most life-changing events don't seem so life-changing when we're in the moment.

One Day...

Teach For America has a vision statement: One day, all children in this nation will have the opportunity to attain an excellent education.

It's a simple idea. Equal opportunity. Yet, the more entrenched I became in TFA, the more insurmountable it seemed. It seemed that everything in American politics and society competed with this idea. It seemed that many in education even didn't believe this was possible.

But why shouldn't it be? Why can't huge, nation-changing ideas come to be? I've come to realize that they can happen. Big things can happen. But it takes people committing their lives to it. The great thing about this nation-changing idea is it's taking hold. The nation's best and brightest are clamoring to join TFA, according to yet another article on the program. (Thanks for the link, Amie) And these applicants are not stupid people. They are not the type to just join a "movement" that they believe isn't moving. And from the way Wendy Kopp (Teach For America's founder) talks in her bookOne Day, All Children (which I just finished reading), the program's staff members believe it can happen as well and are committing themselves to moving the mission along.

So, yes, I'm inspired again. I do believe in educational equity. And I even wrote Wendy an e-mail thanking her for starting Teach For America. I'm not as disillusioned with Teach For America as I had been a week ago. And I hope that I will eventually make big changes toward equity. But tomorrow I'll go to work and make no changes. Soon, though, soon...

This Should Be Inspiring...but It's Not

All my roommates have been crazy work out beasts lately. One of them has been waking up early EVERY morning to go to the gym. Crazy girl. Another has been coming home from work every night to run the beach. And me? Yeah, I could tell you who's won every night this week on Jeopardy. That's been my work out. Wow, my brain is tired.

Oh Yeah

And here are some Vegas pics. Edited for content, of course.

In Touch with Mother Nature

This past weekend I went camping in Sequoia National Park. I finally got to use my bed tent for my truck. And I got to hang out with WT. No, not the guy Nina used to date. But General Sherman -- the largest (by girth) tree in the world.

See me and WT here.

Friends 'Til the End?

I've got lots of new people coming into my life lately. There's the new roommate (who may be permanent or temporary), the new co-worker, and all the people I've met in Vegas the last two weeks.

Past all the small talk, I've been trying to figure out how much time to budget for these folks. I mean, do I really want to be friends with all of them? And FYI, I'm not someone who uses the term "friend" loosely (as if I use any term loosely). The new roomie blends in well with the other three personalities of the house. I think it's that Midwest thing -- and she's got a cute cousin who lives in the area (who most likely has cute friends) -- so, we'll probably do alright as friends. Another two I just met offered me tickets to a rock concert with them in Arizona. Kind of tempting...

But as I've been contemplating how to dole out my SO in-demand friend time, I've been thinking about why I'm friends with people...ultimately, and sadly enough, it seems to be because they give me something -- and not just hot guys or hot tickets. But the friends I feel closest to give me a desire to be a better person -- to work harder, to be nicer, to love more.

Really, though...what makes someone a "friend"? Do we usually become friends with someone initially because they have something physical we want (be that an invite to a party, a good-looking roommate, a nice smile that makes us happy)? And do we stay friends because they have something abstract we want or hope that rubs off on us? Or am I the only one? I hope not. Otherwise, I'm a total user, and well, I'll understand if you don't want to be my friend anymore.

...and I'm Spent

Well, not literally. Despite spending eight of my last 10 days in Vegas, I've actually not spent that much money. But I am exhausted. And I'm more than ready to spend a night alone in my room at the beach.

When I get more photos from the ex-roomies, I'll put them up here from Vegas trip #2. (Yes, I've been to Vegas three times this year...and at least one more is to come.)