We're not in Kansas anymore Toto.

Well, obviously it's not Kansas that I have departed from....yet the I don't know that anyone would have related the quote: "We're not in Nebraska anymore Bella."

The weather out here is the first thing that is a noticeable change from "The Motherland," but it is surely not the most dynamic thread in the woven blanket of change that surrounds me.

Case in point, as Carly (Mama Hoke) and I go to the grocery store the cart that I grab has what seems to be a mud flap on one of the wheels. This was obviously a broken one, as the flap had fall under the wheel and the cart would not move. I was joking to myself, what is this....a "parking boot" for shopping carts?! Sure enough, that is EXACTLY what it was. Many of the carts in Los Angeles have a plastic "parking boot" attached to one of it's wheels that has an electronic device inside. Once the carts are taken past a designated distance, the "boot" will activate and make the cart immobile!! Can you believe that!??! It's flabbergasting that this is such an ordinary/unnoticed piece of the shopping experience. Stores have problems with customers taking the carts from the store to their homes, and leaving them there. What's hilarious about this to me is that it is one of those things that locals don't even think about, it's just how it is. However, naive Mid-Westerners like myself think it necessary to whip out the camera phone to document such a remarkable sight and send it to Leroy and Cletus back home!! Oh the simple things.

Charli and I have been looking at places to live out here.....this has actually been a fun experience. We've looked at buying vs. renting and decided that the best bet is renting first to get to know the city and have more of an idea of where we would like to live, and what we can afford. We've had our talks about the move, and it seems to just make sense. We're young and have no children (well...of the human kind..."We Love You Bella!") We've got plenty of time to experience California, and if we find that we don't like it, we can move back to NE and start our little family there!! That's right.....little Kuglets!! We're definitely planning on adding to our Horde, but need to have more financial/geographical security before birthing any little monsters!! I've known plenty of people that always talk about "wishing" they could move and experience more of the world....well WHY NOT??!! Charli and I like to live such an active lifestyle that it just makes sense to move to a place that can facilitate our need for the outdoors. Today has been chilly...and it's 60 degrees.....in January folks....need I say more?

Job hunting is actually pretty tough right now, because I'm trying to keep my schedule open as much as possible for my classes at the Groundlings, and also to be able to attend recommended shows at the Groundlings Theater. We all know why I moved out here, and that is my main priority. I can't "afford" to get a job which requires me to put all of my focus/attention (which is rare to harness in periods over 47 seconds in the first place) into learning a skill that will overshadow my purpose for the move. So, I'm looking for a flexible part-time gig that will allow for some income, yet cater to MY needs. If I have learned anything during my short time as an adult....it's that NO ONE will take care of you better than YOU. Letting people put their agenda as YOUR top priority, even though it may seem the "nice" or "right" thing to do, will most likely do NOTHING for your self confidence, self worth, or self improvement. Too often we allow ourselves to take the path of least resistance, but our lives are much more complicated than simple electricity....and we need to remember to treat them as such.

One of the most important things that I have learned in my 2 classes at the Groundlings is that it is so important NOT to draw attention to YOUR OWN mistakes/faults/discrepancies. For some reason, society has trained us into thinking that it is necessary to put ourselves down we make mistakes. I have been a true testament to this, and am doing all that is possible to look at life through broader vision. We can not change what has happened, yet we have the truly superhuman power to change the way WE VIEW the results and therefore the future.

-Rob K