What Have You Done For Me Lately -ooh ooh - ooooooh yeah!

Before we moved I had big plans about my budding writing career.  I thought this was going to be the perfect rebirth for my creativity.
I would be bored, and have nothing to do and no friends and be completely surrounded by inspiration.  So, I would write!
I even had ideas about making my blog "subscription only" so that people that worked for Jay wouldn't read it and get in on our personal business.

Of all of those thoughts, I think the "subscription only" portion is the funniest.  Because, really, who reads this?  I know of about 6 people, 7 if you include my mom.  And as much as I appreciate the support - and I truly do - I really write it for myself.
Sometimes I feel myself getting all bottled up.  I have a need to share.
Facebook helps that.  A lot.  But Facebook also allows for feedback.  And often, the one line "You're too funny" or "same thing happened to me" only irritates me and doesn't allow me to fully explore what happened, how it happened or what the impact may be from said happening.

How can I appropriately Facebook my journey through the California Department of Motor Vehicles this past Tuesday?
I can't.  So let me share it with you here.

I made an appointment.  First of all - thank Jesus I made an appointment.  The appointment line was 2 deep.  The "I think I'll swing by the DMV and settle the years' worth of issues I have with the state of California on my lunch break" line was out the door and into the next parking lot.  No joke.  I couldn't take a picture because the other thing about the DMV was - all the criminals and fat people were there.
In my time in SouthBay so far, I have seen many, many walks of life.  Very different from the rural white towns I grew up and settled in thus far.  I have seen, chatted with and befriended people from India, Japan, Korea, Hawaii, NY, Wisconsin and right here in Torrance.  None of them are easily defined as "white", "Indian", "black" or "Asian".  Nor are they distinguishable by class, income or "location" (read - section of town that we are so used to judging each other by).  Its nice.  I have discussed the anonymity of living in such a large town (city) before and I am still, very much, enjoying it.
That said, at DMV I found all the very fat, very smelly, very scary people in SouthBay.
Surprisingly, though, they did not work there.
The kids and I arrived for my 12:15 appointment and by the time we left (around 3) I had a temporary CA drivers license and 2 shiny new California plates for my Pilot.  And my disposition was as good if not better than when I arrived.
The employees were smart, helpful, chatty, friendly and easy to work with.
The woman who helped me register my car informed me that I may not be happy with her when I walked away but she apologized ahead of time for what was obviously not her doing - California requires you to pay CA state tax for a vehicle purchased outside of California if it is moved into California within 365 days.  They do, however, take into account what you've already paid, in my case, in CT.
The lovely woman at her desk at window 15 said "that will be a grand total of $1400 even.  Welcome to California."  Her face did not reflect her sentiment.

From there, California license plates in hand, I went to take my "written test" for my drivers license.  It's not written.  Its done on a touch screen monitor bigger than my laptop monitor.  It was acutally a pretty impressive set up.  I was warned that the test was pretty hard because it asks you about stuff you really don't use in regular driving.  For example - did you know that the legal limit for alcohol for an adult is .08% - but the legal limit for an 'under 21' is .01%?
I would have gotten that wrong because I would have assumed the limit would be 0.  My bad.
Anyway - I did get that question.  I was also asked what the center lane was for on a highly trafficked roadway.  Obviously, not right turns.  We call it the suicide lane, but it is intended for the start and completion of left hand turns and legal u-turns.  Now you know.
So, I passed that, took my picture and was super excited to get my new license.  Imagine my disappointment when the gentleman handed back my Connecticut license and told me this would serve as my temp until my new license came in the mail in 2-4 weeks.  Boo, California!!  That is where CT has you beat!  Printing Press right on the premises!!
All in all, it was not a bad experience.  It was not a thrilling experience, either.  But for a 3-hour stint at the DMV - no matter what state you live in - I was kind of impressed.

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I have had a few dates here in SouthBay.  Mom-dates.  I think Deborah coined that phrase.  But I need to make friends.  Like I said to Jay - I have a short list of amazing, life-long friends.  I don't actually need any more.  But I do need some buddies - some moms that I can hang with, bitch with, laugh with, drink with.  So, I'm putting myself out there!  I can and love to talk to anyone, anywhere...  it's very easy for me and I enjoy it.

I had one date with a mom from Abby's class.  And it was a homerun!  We met at the track and got to chatting.  We have the same helicopter-y expectations of our classroom teachers.  Same dry, hilarious sense of humor, same distaste for bitchy/clique-y moms and - go figure - she's about 10 years older than me.  Perfect!
So, we hung out at the beach one afternoon and the love fest continued.
We will hang again and I am happy to report - I like her and she likes me!
(See the similarities?!  It really is like dating!)

I had another date - with a mom I met on the beach one random day that her kids and my kids were playing together in the water.  Seemed natural to meet up at the beach again.
This time, however, it was a date - planned and anticipated.
She, being a native Californian and this being a sort of overcast, chilly day - by California standards - was wearing a sweatshirt, a warm hat and carrying a hot coffee.
Me, being a native nor'easter, had my chair, a large bag of beach toys, a cooler, a large bag with towels and snacks and sunscreen (honestly, I don't know why I bring so much crap to the beach - I'm working on that).  Her kids had BodyGlove head to toe, my kids had a quick spray of sunscreen.  It was cloudy!
We chatted easily enough.  She asked me what my hobbies were, I said I love to read and garden and bake and run and sew and make my own organic sauces - also I am learning spanish and teaching my kids techniques for them to get ahead in the grade levels they are preparing to enter.  Naturally.
She told me she homeschools because she couldn't bear to send her babies into the "zoo that is public school these days".  She also proceeded to tell me how "big government got in the way of states' right to govern individually" when it came to the Marriage Equality Act.
When she was done speaking I was so thankful I had thought to lie about my hobbies (sitting at the beach, shopping, playing Clash of Clans, perusing Pinterest, actually reading - but not books I usually brag about) and quickly decided to not talk to this woman about anything else.  Ever.
Also worth noting here - her son is 11 and thoroughly enjoyed playing with Wyatt who is 7.  This is fine in many cases, but since he kept calling Abby "girlfriend" and asking me if they could sleep over I decided it would be best to call it a day.
Again, 2-hour parking meter comes in handy.

I do have a third date pending.  A lovely lady I met at Swim.  She is born and raised here.  Her face is round and happy.  She laughs a lot and is totally into her kids.  I liked her immediately.  We chat during the kids' swim lessons.  Our kids don't match at all but all 4 are happy, friendly kiddos who, I anticipate, will play well together regardless of age.
We are planning a trip into LA - she wants to go into Chinatown and I want to go anywhere someone wants to take an adventure.  I'll keep you posted!

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So - what the hell have we been doing?  We have been having a very good time, my friends.  A very.  good.  time.
As much as I miss my people, and miss being a part of things happening back east, I can't complain about what I'm doing (or who I'm doing it with).
And as long as I keep living - one day at a happy time - I will be forever grateful for the experiences, the adventures and the joy this "perma-summer-vaca" is giving us.

A new addition to our clan.  California Roadster!  

Oh?  An open invitation to bang out a song with a drum circle?  Sure!

We spend some time at the beach.

There's a sand crab in that little hand, look closer!

Dodger Stadium.  Mets were in town for July 4th.  This day deserves a blog of it's own.  "Epic".

Next time we will go as Dodgers fans...  blend easier...

 

Fireworks at the beach, from a few blocks up.

A little v-ball.

Hermosa.

I got glasses!

Night Riders.

Best.  Visitors.  Ever.

Street Fair.  Redondo is where it's at.  #ifweknew

Coming around the third turn~

Track & Field on Monday nights!