No Internet

Having had a desk job for the last two and a half years I've discovered many ways to have fun on the internet from Youtube to Tetris to textsfromlastnight, etc., etc., etc. However, when I don't have it I don't miss it all that much. Since moving my two roommates and I decided to wait until September to get the internet since none of us will be home much in the month of August. Aside from needing some directions to find things in my new 'hood and of course writing my blog I'm just fine without it. 'Course I have friends who do have the internet so I can still check my email and facebook just to make sure I'm not missing out on life (I'm not). So instead of internetting I've been spending a lot of time surfing, at the beach in general, attempting to unpack (believe it or not it was fun yesterday to get things in order), spending time with friends, decorating and exploring parts of LA I haven't spent much time in. I know I'll have the internet back before I know it but for now I'm enjoying the fun things in life that don't require a modem.



Are you addicted to the internet or could you go without it? What are your fav non-internet activities? How about fav websites?

The End

Tomorrow's my last day of work at a job I was at for two and a half years, which in Amanda time is 500 years. I'm also moving this weekend. That's a lot of change in a two day span. A lot of people get sad over endings and I'm no different. But I'm also really excited about all of the fun prospects that come along with this change. My job has been a deadend gig from pretty much the day I started. Overly qualified from the beginning it didn't offer much in terms of opportunities, growth or pay. It did offer a lot of drama and insight into the craziness of the non-profit world which I know will benefit my future career and has provided the contrast for me to know what that is. But I also know that once I say peace out it will open up so many doors toward the positive change I know I need right now. And the same can be said with my living situation. I've been at the EVB for five years now and a lot has happened there. Most of which I can't discuss in a public blog. But it's suffice to say that it's definitely time for me to move on and the move will also open the doors to the fun stuff. And so I'm really excited about my future and the opportunities it holds for me. And that is the epitome of fun in my book.


Are any of you dealing with any major life changes? How do you feel about them? Do you grab the bull by the horns or cower in the corner hoping they'll go away?

Moving

I used to move quite a bit. But since I've lived in the LA area I've only moved once. Next door. And I have many happy memories here at the EVB (East Village Bungalows). But I am ready to move forward although finding the fun in the actual act of moving items is challenging. So here are a few ways I've come up with to make it more fun:

- Get rid of stuff. It always feels good to get rid of anything weighing you down. And also by getting rid of the old you make room for the new, which I'm excited about. Plus I don't want to move anything more than I have to.

- Reminisce. I'm sure as I sort through the mess I'll come across things I haven't seen since I first moved here five years which will bring back the good and fun memories.

- Dance party. I like to turn any mundane activity into a dance party so it might a good time to go through old CDs and dance party it up one last time in the EVB.

- All else fails have a glass of wine. Every mundane activity picks up the pace with a glass of wine. Or beer. Or shot of tequila!

The EVB

Do you hate or like to move? How do you make the actual moving part more entertaining?

Running

I run. Which is an activity many people don't find fun. Myself included. Sometimes. I know that sounds contradictory. And it is. But there are times when running is exactly what I need and few other physical activities can replace it. Surfing and soccer are usually at the top of my list but sometimes with surfing the getting to a clean beach takes more effort than I have and with soccer sometimes I just don't feel like being social (Hard to believe I know!). So for those kinds of days throwing on my running shoes and simply stepping outside my apartment feels amazing. For awhile I was potentially addicted to running marathons. My first year in California I ran three. There was something about losing myself for hours in monotenous exercise that I needed and actually enjoyed. I say actually because as I'm preparing myself to run the San Francisco Marathon this coming Sunday I can't say I've felt that too many times in the last few months. But when it happens it's this meditative state that leaves me refreshed and ready to conquer all. And that is what I love most about running. The other things I love about it:

1. Keeps me skinny. Hey, I'm not above the superficialness of exercise even if I do it for more than that.
2. Great way to enjoy the scenery. It's amazing what you pick up on when running compared to driving/riding in a car.
3. You're automatically in the club. There's something about runners (more than any other sport I've participated in) that leads them as a collective to talk to anyone else running anywhere anytime.
4. The admiration. This is more of a joke but I've noticed that people are more impressed when you run longer distances than with anything else.
5. Food. You can eat whatever you want but it also motivates you to crave the healthy stuff (Guess that's true about any physical activity but I needed a fifth reason.).



Do you love or hate to run and why? What other physical activities pump you up?

Fun Buster: Money

I'm starting a new post called the Fun Buster because there are certain things that try really hard to ruin my good time. One of those things is money. I've never had a good relationship with that stuff. I grew up extremely poor and my parents' stress and negative attitude toward it definitely became entrenched in my mind so that I'm now 29, have a Masters degree and am barely making ends meet on my starter non-profit job salary. I know that it's a direct result of my attitude toward money so I'm working at changing that so I can increase the amount of dough in my life and as a result fun! How I'm doing it:

1. Listening to the Money series from the Change Your Mind website.
2. Quitting the job I took only because I needed the money. I've realized I need to let go of my need for something for it to appear. As well, that job's been a hindrance to me in so many ways simply clearing that out should work wonders.
3. Saying no. As I said earlier this week I'm starting to say no more to social obligations I don't really want to do. That will now include those that cost more than I can currently afford.
4. Saying yes. I've had a lot of incidents lately I've had to pay for (car problems, a stolen bike that wasn't even mine but I was using) that I suspect wouldn't have happened had I spent less money preventing them in the beginning.
5. Doing fun things that are free. Parks. Some museums. The beach. Taking advantage of my natural resources will help three-fold too in that they'll provide the calmness and open mind I need to receive the monetary abundance that is mine.



Do you have money troubles? If so, how does it affect your ability to have fun? How do you cope?

The Art of the Slow Down

I live in Los Angeles, which is not a location known for its sleepiness. It isn't quite the city that never sleeps (a friend once described it as the city that sleeps in) but there is certainly no lack of activity within its boundaries. And part of me likes that. The undiagnosed ADHD part of me. I grew up in a sleepy little town and longed to escape it from second grade on. It's only been in the last year or so that I've felt this intense urge to slow my life down. Go ahead blame it on my age. And my hormones causing me to want to settle down, create a nest and have my own little chicks. But to be honest I don't yet long for children (and to give ya'll a heads up, may never) nor want to give up my life of adventure. Hell, my adventure's barely getting started. But I do want to stop and smell the dandelions a little more often (maybe make some soup with them). There's a culture of insanity in cities characterized by watches, mass amounts of traffic and constant overstimulation. This past week alone I worked five 9-5 days, met up with the bf (who currently lives 35 miles away from me) three times, played three soccer matches, saw Inception (So good!), checked out a couple apartments, cooked some meals, ate some meals out, went to two bars, went camping up in Big Bear, ran three times training for this marathon (including one 12-miler), fit in some leisure reading and who knows what else I'm leaving out. And this has been the norm for... well, most of my life (even when I didn't live in a city). I've always beeen this active person who enjoys being around a lot of people and staying busy but I may be on the brink of burnout. Which could really put a huge dent in my fun.

There is much to be said for slowing things down. And here are some of the ways I plan to slow things down:
- Quit work. Granted this isn't something everyone can do but I'm quitting my dead end job at the end of next week. This actually has less to do with slowing down and more to do with going to grad school round dos in September and not being able to maintain a normal 9-5 job (which I s'pose in the grand scheme of things is technically slowing down). Still leaving at the end of July will help me slow things down since August will be busy enough with moving closer to UCLA and weddings every weekend.
- More surfing and yoga. These aren't physical activities I feel like I have to fit in like I often do with running (training for marathons requires a certain commitment... a commitment I'm not always thrilled about) or even soccer sometimes. And when I'm doing them it's as if time stops. I always feel big time relaxed and happy after surfing and yoga.
- Say no. I'm really bad at this. Especially when it comes to plans with friends. I know I've said before I have a lot of friends. The bf has a lot of friends. But I've started saying no to things when I just don't have the energy to do something and it feels good.
- Craft more. I used to create such beautiful things. Pieces of writing (which this blog has helped me start getting back into), paintings and other arts and crafts. That's all been put on the backburner but I'm realizing now that isn't healthy for me and so I'm going to use more "me" time to create beautiful things again.



What do you do to slow down your life? Or do you feel that it's impossible?

And it's H-O-T!

There was no segue into summer here in the Los Angeles area. It went from maybe high sixties to high eighties if you're lucky. Actually I really enjoy the hot weather but I know many are in disagreement on this one. I s'pose I'm not a huge fan of sleeping in it (and I'm also not an air conditioning fan so there's a bit of a conundrum if even sleeping naked under a fan isn't helping) or having to work when it's so amazing outside but otherwise I'm in full support of hard core summer weather. Here are my fav fun things to do when it's sweltering out:

1. Surf. It's so nice to not have to don a wetsuit when attempting to hang ten.
2. Canoe/kayak. Lots of jumping out of them and into the water while also splashing the other people involved is a must.
3. Plain 'ol swimming. I don't do a whole lot of this anymore since I took up surfing but anything in the water is a good idea when you're sweating (You may sense a theme here.).
4. Tubing down the river. Much easier than the other activities. You simply sit there. And sometimes (sometimes is often synonymous with all the time) drink beer.
5. Water parks. I haven't been to one is sooooooooo long but I love them.

Okay, I realize all my ideas have to do with actually being out in the heat because I just love being outside no matter what the temperature is. But I know some people like (or need) to avoid the heat so for those of you who fall into that category here are some fun air conditioned indoor activities:

1. Movies. I'm not a huge movie watcher (although I'd like to be but that's a whole other topic) but they keep those places cold enough to hide the melting glaciers in.
2. Arcades. You can be active in air conditioning.
3. Bars. AC and alcohol. Popular hot weather combination.
4. Restaurants. Now might be a good time to visit a new spot or an old fav rather than picnic.
5. The mall. I hate the mall and shopping in general but there are many who disagree with me.



What do you do to stay cool when it's H-O-T out?