So much has been happening: new car, Sarah Grace's fabulous visit, me burying a hatchet (is that the right phrase? It sounds funny), the Hollywood Bowl, me hanging out with Mads's and her great friends, my last belly dancing class from Maryam, Leigh's baby's first birthday party...and I want to talk about them all...and I will.
But first and foremost...the earthquake.
Last night as I sat watching the Other Boleyn Girl (um...didn't like it...), I wondered why we haven't had an earthquake in awhile. You want to have little ones once in awhile to alleviate some of the pressure to avoid a huge one. I thought...we are so due for one.
Then this morning, I noticed so many of my bottles in my bathroom that make me look presentable are glass. I moved them so that in case of an earthquake, they wouldn't fall.
I went to the dentist this morning for a gum cleaning. I know...it sounds hilarious. it feels hilarious too...oh wait, no it doesn't.
I went on Saturday for One quadrant (you know when your mouth is divided into quadrants, you are in for several visits). I white-knuckled it the whole time.
Needless to say, I wasn't thrilled about going in for quadrant Two today.
When I got in the chair, I thought, wouldn't it be weird to have an earthquake while I am in the chair. That thought gave way to pain and I resumed the white-knuckle position. I had roughly 10 minutes left when I felt a rumbling. I thought, "Oh man, an earthquake." But no one said anything as if they hadn't felt it.
I heard the woman in the chair next to me on her cell phone, "I don't know if I can make it to the meeting...I am at the dentist's. But I don't know how much longer I can be here. Oh, you know what? I am now in an earthquake."
Hearing her say those words and feeling the rumble get a little stronger, I bolted upright; gauze hanging out of my mouth.
My hygienist bolted upright as well and then...bolted. it was every man for himself to find a doorway. We all stood in the corridor looking to everyone for reassurance. No one could give it. The woman who had been on the phone was still on the phone in the middle of the hall.
Once we felt no aftershocks, we resumed our positions. I told the hygienist about my feelings that there would be an earthquake. She didn't say anything until she was done with me. At which point she said, "Okay lady, get out of my chair; you and your earthquakiness". I cracked up.
"Gladly," I said.
I have often wondered if there would be an earthquake while I was in a chair like that of some sort: facials, highlights, dentist, OBGYN...
And now I know how it would feel. Phew, another thing I can mark off the list of things I wonder about.
I briefly went home to make sure all was okay. Some items had fallen but no major damage. If you have to have an earthquake, this is the kind to have.
The people at work told me that our very tall building swayed. Eesh. That would have unnerved me a little.
I didn't love taking the stairs since the elevators were out of commission but I figured that stairs were better than a collapsed building and that we were lucky.
I swear I will write more later on all the fabulousity that life has been throwing at me, but I felt that I really needed to write sooner about something that rocked my world. And my dentist chair.
And now I have
PS - Happy Birthday Sarah Grace - you rock too!
Broom Hilda is back. The crazy homeless woman who thinks our front porch is a good bed is back. She still has maniacal screaming fights with the air but now there is a whole new level.
A new guy moved into our building. My neighbor Lisa and I call him "Angry Smoking Man". Okay, so it's not that clever but it fits our gossipy purposes when talking of him.
He is up ALL hours of the night. He smokes every half hour. He will walk outside and pace the front of the building.
There is a part of me that actually feels safer when my late nights allow me to be the only clicking clacking heels on the pavements and I look up and feel that I don't have to run from the Boogeyman because Angry Smoking Man is outside. Not that he would protect me, but he would be a witness if anything should go awry.
Broom Hilda's resurfacing is putting a damper on his nighttime behavior. She sometimes blocks the door with her body (her legs always somehow seem shaved) making us have to go around back to leave.
Well, lately, probably miffed at this blockade, when she starts her screaming sessions, he starts yelling back. It's like his voice looms right by my ear.
"Shut Up!" he says in a deep voice.
She continues yelling, almost like she has transferred her anger to him.
"Shut UP!!!!" he yells.
And invariably, I hear her take her one-sided argument down the streets where her voice resonates against the other buildings in the otherwise quiet night.
Lisa and I compare notes. What is worse? Broom Hilda alone or her new sparring partner?
I personally like that he sends her away. I like thinking of him as the guard dog who protects the building.
Sure he is a little scary (cute but scary) but he gets the job done.
Last night as I got home from one of my most fabulous nights out in a long time (story to follow), I noticed neither Broom Hilda nor Angry Smoking Man were in front of the building (at 1:30am) but I saw his lights on in the apartment. As soon as I crossed Vermont to my place, he emerged. Right on schedule.
I wanted to say, "Thank you for smoking." "Thank you for being mad at Broom Hilda enough to scare her away." "Thank you for being a familiar face that takes away the late night fears as a woman coming home alone in a big city".
But I just smiled at him and while he exhaled, he muttered a "Hey".
I went upstairs with the lingering cigarette smell wafting in my window and I fell asleep.
With some things behind me and some things in front of me, I thought this was the perfect place to reflect on the state of things as I see them right now.
Went to Portland to visit my mom and it was a pretty good trip I must say.
My mom is always a source of comedy (she has no idea) but I tried to not provoke just so I would have comedy material. I actually tried to be a good daughter AND enjoy myself and it seemed to work.
4th of July weekend was nice.
Went to Greystone Mansion with Mads, Jazzy and MamaC and took lots of pics.
It is beautiful there. Kind of interesting fact: Scenes from "There Will Be Blood" were filmed there when Daniel is rich and living in his mansion with his pissy attitude. The book "Oil!" by Upton Sinclair which was what the movie was based on was loosely based on events from Ed Doheney's (oil man involved in a scandal) life. Ed Doheney built Greystone Mansion for his son, Ned Doheney (who was later murdered by his assistant). Kind of circular, fiction-reality type of thing.
It was a nice 4th, very mellow and very relaxing.
Sat night was Jazzy and Zappy's co-shared birthday at Hollywood Forever Cemetery to see "Easy Rider" which I had never seen before. It almost felt like the movie was made with the self-concsiousness that exists today when people are trying to nostalgilize the past. But of course it was actually filmed in the time it was depicting. I liked the film but also was left with a weird feeling of Burning Man stuff...probably because the guy from December that I dated with the Burning Man party that caused me such angst has been calling me again.
Lots of stuff going on my head, I will tell you.
But truth is, to get a new future, you can't keep dipping into the past.
Which is why I found myself very discombobulated at my cousin's wedding on Sunday. Here was all my family. My past. And yet, I spoke to family members I normally don't hang out with. I had a great time. I guess because the ones I usually talk to were who part of the wedding party were busy, it allowed me to find something brand new in my family. Friends.
It was cool. And my cool, I mean fun because I definitely don't mean temperature. It was blinking hot and I was trying not to be the face sweater that I am. It was difficult but I looked good in my new dress if I could maintain the water spots on my forehead.
Until I see the pictures, I won't know if that was accomplised.
Monday night, I was driving home from work and plowed into a girl's car who backed out from a driveway full speed into the street.
It has been a harrowing week for me dealing with all the insurance stuff (both auto and health). It bums me out that due to my soreness, I have to kind of put off exercising at the moment. My blood pressure skyrocketed as I was yelling at the various people who should have been in my court (Car insurance, tow truck, healt insurance...blah blah blah). The tow truck driver saved me from going totally over the edge. He was beautiful and friendly and I wished that after waiting for three hours for the truck to take my car to the body shop that the ride there was longer than 10 minutes.
At first I felt so alone. My immediate family is dispersed and I am single. A woman at work said once to me, "It is great being single, you have your independence and can live the fabulous single gal life. But when you are with someone, the great thing is you have a partner with you to go through these things with". At that moment, I felt like I was missing a partner.
But then I realized how much my friends were really doing a lot for me.
This week has been rough, but I have been cared for by many in ways that I hadn't noticed before. And I am grateful.
My car is still in the body shop, and the insurance companies are still debating shit, but this week, I have been treated to meals, a pedicure and a fun night out with Mads and Steven to see comedy.
These are the things behind me now.
And the future is uncertain. But the state of things now as I see them is that it will all be okay.
I think my blood pressure is finally coming down.