The Duchess's New Plates

In true Taylor fashion, I have found other productive things to do despite reaching the standstill mentioned in my previous post.  As a result, today The Duchess had a very big day.

It started with her smog test this morning.  She was pretty nervous so I had to drive her around a bit before the test.  :) Actually, surrogate Dad Paul told me that I needed to warm the car up before the smog test so that the readings were accurate.  Anyway, she passed her test with flying colors and then it was off to the DMV.

The CA DMV was actually a pretty pleasant experience.  I made a reservation, I showed up early, and I don't think I waited more than 5 min to be helped at any point during my visit.  The Duchess had her identity verified and then I got my licence and she got her registration.  The annual registration fee is actually less than in Iowa AND I was exempt from tax since I acquired my car as a gift from a blood relation (thanks PaulSale).

Then it was my turn to be examined.  I'm happy to report that I passed my vision exam without my glasses-- keeping me from legally having to wear them every single time I drive.  I also passed my written driving examination despite the fact that I was unaware that it is illegal to smoke when you have a child in the car and that I apparently don't know the sign graphic for "lane ending, merge left".  I mean, come on.  There are usually other contextual clues to help you out there.  Oh, and sorry I give bikers the right of way, I would hate to accidentally hit one of them and in Chicago they do whatever the hell the want anyway... regardless, in 2-4 weeks I will have a new license in hand.  Until then, I have this:

The Duchess was truly the big winner today as we drove away from the DMV plates in hand.  I took her to a car wash as celebratory treat (aka: removal of all the bugs that attacked when driving through STUPID Nebraska) and then we made the switch.

So it's official!  The Duchess and I are California girls!  Cue the annoying song about girls from California of your choosing... personally I prefer the Beach Boys.

Hurry up and wait...

Today is one of those days were I do everything I can to move a process forward and them am left to rely on others to finish their part before real progress is actually made.  Thank goodness it's sunny and nice here or I would be going crazy right now.  These past few months has been a total exercise in patience for me, something I am not very good at.. on with the life updates!

California here we come!

Greeting from a Starbucks in The Valley!  All I can think about right now is Cher from Clueless ("Eww!  The Valley!") so I'm not really sure how I am supposed to feel about his place...

There are about a million things I should be doing while I have internet access-- but I'm choosing to blog-- in a very cliche' manner non the less.  Courtesy of my sister's excellent Googling, I'll be relocating to Cabo Cantina in Santa Monica later this afternoon.  Free WiFi + Margs= win.  Also, much less cliche' and potentially less productive.  So let me get you up to speed on my cross-country trek and my first 36 hours on the coast:

After shoving my life into the U-Box:

Mom and I set off for our 28 hour drive--

It's all happening.

It began with an ice scraper...

...and my heart has been pounding ever since.  I'll do my best to keep from word-vomiting my way through this entire post.  (By the way, that is seriously my ice scraper in a different pattern).

Chicago says CHEEEESSSSEEE!

Yeah, I know.  I'm a huge dork.  Just trying to keep things interesting...

So, since my last post I finally got the pictures off of my Dad's camera.  I had to take his compact flash drive to a photo kiosk at Target and make a photo CD since apparently my version of windows was "attacking" his software and "fouling" it up.  All my fault, bad daughter, shame shame.  In the Sale house, electronics never break on their own or just stop working.  You always "had to have done something!"  I apparently conspired with Vista to take the compact flash converter under siege and reject the drivers from the camera software.  My bad.  

The kiosk was actually awesome because it allowed me to tint the pics, enlarge them and print them so they are all ready to move on to the display step... once I figure out exactly what that step is...

Drum roll please......

Hopefully you can see that this spells out C-H-I-C-A-G-O.  It's probably easier when they are horizontal (TWSS?) so use your imagination.  First C is a Cubs jersey, H is the Wrigley Building from State St, I is the Water Tower, second C is from the Chicago Theater, A is the El tracks running above Lake St, G is from Giordano's, and O is the Navy Pier Ferris Wheel. 

I think they turned out pretty well, but displaying them could really make or break it.  I have a long poster frame from Target that I could put them in, but I still kinda want to get them each their own glass with clips and then attach them together with a piece of wood or something... we will see.

Suggestions and comments welcome!!!

Out with a bang

Alright, so you know when you were a kid and you would get a new toy and play with it all day, everyday for like a week and then never again??  I find that as an adult-ish person, I still have this quality though now it mostly applies to workout plans and guys I attempt to date.  I'm also concerned that this may happen to my blog.  So my first 5 posts were all consecutive (*cough* excited child) and then followed by about 5 days of radio silence however, I feel that I have a perfectly good excuse for my lapse: playing in Chicago!

Before I head out to California, I really wanted to make one more visit to the city I love enough to consider one of my three homes (Iowa and Colorado would be the other two) and soak in all of my favorite things.  It seems logical that I should have memories of having fun, knowing my way around a place and spending time with people I love before I'm lost, confused and friendless on the coast.

Growing up...again.

Well folks, while the month of August has left me feeling like a freeloader on my parents couch, this first week in September has skyrocketed me towards my new independent life in LA.  Here's the progress:

1. I finally have something in my name other than debt

Ok, so we are actually celebrating a successful tire change.
This does accurately capture my emotions about the ownership
of said vehicle though.

While The Duchess (long story) and I have been together for several years now, she technically belonged to my parents.  Now, she is truly and legally mine- along with two blown-out front speakers and a faint smell of squid from a transport malfunction for an AP Bio project (don't say I never did anything for you children of STL).  And the speakers hadn't crossed my mind for YEARS (I know, I suck) until I saw my Dad type "As Is" on our "contract" (and I probably just got myself in trouble with PaulSale).  Regardless, I own a car, I'm excited, and yes, you will have trouble conversing with others if you sit in my back seat.  No, that smell is not my car, it's you.  Just smile and enjoy the music.


2. I've been put to the test
My time in Iowa has left me both bored and board- as in studying for my genetic counseling certification exam. Mom and I trekked to the Quad Cities this morning so that I could sit for my 3 hour exam while she shopped and did other productive things.  I will not know if I passed the test for a few months (gaaa, I know) but it was an important step in my career and now leaves me with time to focus on other endeavors.  Which is important because....

Photo pulled from Google Image Search

3. I see movement
That's right, a plan for the big move is falling into place.  I've been told to get out to California as soon as I can- and the week after next is the target!  So while I'm fitting all the pieces to transition me and my stuff occupying the 'rents 3rd stall garage out to LaLa land, I'm making one final trip to Chicago this weekend to toast the previous milestone with some of my classmates and enjoy what may be my final days with a real social life for some time.  Once I'm in LA, I'm pretty much starting from scratch.  More on that later of course :)

The moment we've all been waiting for...

Ok... the moment I've been waiting for, I'm sure my fantasy roster is not a significant priority in anyone's life but my own.  Regardless allow me to present to you:

Refrigerator of Sweetness 2011

STARTERS
SLOT	PLAYER, TEAM POS	OPP	STATUS ET	PTS
QB	Matt Schaub, Hou QB	Ind	Sun 1:00	--
RB	Frank Gore, SF RB	Sea	Sun 4:15	--
RB	Ryan Mathews, SD RB	Min	Sun 4:15	--
RB/WR	Ryan Williams*, Ari RB  IR	Car	Sun 4:15	--
WR	Jeremy Maclin, Phi WR  P	@StL	Sun 1:00	--
WR	Johnny Knox, Chi WR	Atl	Sun 1:00	--
TE	Chris Cooley, Wsh TE  Q	NYG	Sun 4:15	--
D/ST	Bears D/ST D/ST	Atl	Sun 1:00	--
K	Robbie Gould, Chi K	Atl	Sun 1:00	--

BENCH
SLOT	PLAYER, TEAM POS	OPP	STATUS ET	PTS
Bench	Josh Freeman, TB QB	Det	Sun 1:00	--
Bench	Julio Jones, Atl WR	@Chi	Sun 1:00	--
Bench	Chargers D/ST D/ST	Min	Sun 4:15	--
Bench	Roy Helu, Wsh RB	NYG	Sun 4:15	--
Bench	Steve Breaston, KC WR	Buf	Sun 1:00	--
Bench	Benjamin Watson, Cle TE  Q	Cin	Sun 1:00	--
Bench	Jalen Parmele, FA RB	** BYE **		--

I have a bye this week, so I can sit back and watch how these guys perform before I set my roster for the following week which is kinda nice.  I'm also a bit confused on how and when to trade and things like that.  I will obviously need another kicker if I play when the Bears have a bye week.  SUPER pumped about the Bears D and my wide receivers.  Less thrilled on my RBs and QBs, I had the hardest time trying to place them in my autopick strategy.  I made a last minute call to pick an RB first that cost me Drew Brees :(  It got me Gore though, who will be awesome if he's not injured a bunch.  I think.  I guess after all my smack talk yesterday, now that I have my team, I don't really know what to do with them.  It's not like I can invite them over for a team dinner and give them a pep talk or anything... meh, I've got over a week to figure this thing out...