learning curves; or, palm tress does not an oasis make

As it's been six weeks since my life-changing move to Koreatown, I thought it would be good to dedicate an entry solely to things I have learned, and things I am thankful for. It helps to put things in perspective. Plus it allows me to write in bullets, which brings me great joy.

- when living alone, you can do whatever you want, whenever you want, and it doesn't bother anyone. you can even do it naked. cook dinner at 9pm naked? fine! play solitaire on a sunday afternoon naked? great! the other building might prefer I buy curtains, but no phone calls have been received, so the naked freedom shall continue until court order declares otherwise.

- LA is not some small town where people genuinely go out of their way to help you and show concern for your well-being. In fact, nobody gives two shits about you, so you better sack up and start fighting before you get left in the dust. Sad but true. Start living.

- the world you're used to know does not end just because you're not a part of it. sometimes it doesn't even slow down. and it's ok for that to be a bummer...but grow and adapt accordingly.

- street parking in hollywood is equivalent to finding a spot at the world's largest mall the day after thanksgiving...in a world of only women. If you get a place in LA, you damn well better get a reserved spot.
**part two - parking tickets are very real, and very expensive. read the signs. the bloodthirsty communists (aka LAPD parking enforcement) hate their lives and will go out of their way to prove the point that RED CURB = NO BUENO.)

- want to drink less? move to LA. A $6 bottle of domestic beer sobers most people up real fast.

- nobody can drive. no elaboration necessary.

- while you may have no money, fewer friends, and questionable surroundings...there's something to be said for being truly independent.

- having less makes you appreciate more. sad how I'd forgotten this. seeing friends less often makes you appreciate them more. eating good food or having a drink means more when you can't do it all the time. congratulating yourself with small rewards can do a lot to improve a day. sometimes just waking up and being healthy when you're surrounded by so much sadness does the trick.

- you can cut coupons and still maintain your dignity.

- sometimes you just have to say no. and the applies to a lot of different things.

...and the number one thing I've learned from living in la-la land...

- don't give in. it applies almost as much as "just say no". don't give in to people that doubt you, and don't give in to people that praise you for ulterior motives. don't give in to thinking it won't get better, and definitely don't give in to thinking you should change to make other people happy.

the sun will come up tomorrow, even in LA.
this is where dreams come true.
make it happen.

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