I would just like to say that for the first time in about nine months I no longer live with the most disgusting, filthy, dirty, messy, inconsiderate guys in the world. And it’s awesome. I have been moving little by little over the last several days and transferred the last carload last night. Fortunately, I have the weekend pretty much free to spend organizing and putting things together again. It seems none of my neighbors have open wifi connections, so I am at Panera Bread. AT&T scheduled a hook up of my own Internet connection for Thursday, July 5.

Now I am off to run some errands.

Happy birthday to my madre and my friend, Brooke.

This is a spin on my popular “Why you should complain” series. You see, there was something that I planned to complain about, but have now seen the error of my ways.

It all began Sunday night. I was in bed by ten or so in the evening, trying to rest up for the first Monday at my new job. Everything went according to plan and soon I was catching some Zs. And then …

There was this sound, like a garbage truck dropped off the Empire State building…

Actually, it was the sound of a jackhammer tearing apart my street. At two o’clock in the morning! And this wasn’t the first time! I’d heard it before, in the neighborhood somewhere, at six o’clock on a Saturday morning about a month back.

What is up with Costa Mesa construction projects? That’s what I wanted to know. After work the next day, I asked one of my roommates if he’d heard it. The jerk was drugged up on Nyquil, so, no, he didn’t hear it. (And that explains the snoring that woke me up later in the night after the construction ended.) But he told me the reason for it. A water main broke and flooded the street. So, okay, it was annoying but necessary.

You shouldn’t complain when you don’t have all the facts.

On Saturday, I arrived in California with a few small, personal celebrations. Among them was the joy I felt the first time I was able to tune to KCRW on my car radio.

I descended from the mountains down toward the coast and made my way to Orange County. I found my new home in Costa Mesa with relative ease (thanks, Google Maps) and found a spot to park out on the street. My parallel parking skills have proven useful.

Brought all my stuff in, met my roommates for the first time and got a look at the apartment (which is a whole other story that I won’t go into here). I was very homesick, but as the days have gone by, I’m feeling better and better about being here. Though I still miss my friends and family in Houston terribly.

Anyway, I just thought I’d write a brief update so that you don’t think I’m still in Utah. The good news is I bought a cheap but decent desktop computer, so I will be able to write more often when I’m in the mood. Now is not exactly one of those times, so, over and out.

A friend is someone who will help you move. A real friend is someone who will help you move a body. - Unknown

For the first time in two years, I have a new apartment. It’s so nice. Maybe I’ll put up some pictures or a 360-degree Quicktime movie once I get everything arranged and decorated.

I only had about three hours to actually do the moving because Uhaul screwed up and didn’t send my request to my preferred truck pick-up location. It all worked out though. I had several friends help. It started to rain as soon as we began loading the truck and stopped as soon as we finished carrying everything into my new place. It hadn’t rained at all in Houston in more than a month, so the timing was impeccable. We all got soaked, but no one complained.

I miss living right across the street from Kroger. Being able to walk there when I needed a few groceries was very convenient. But that’s about all I miss about my old place. I never did have drinks with the two gay guys who lived in the next building over from me, but I said hello whenever I saw them. Oh well.

I wanted to go home quite a while ago, but it rained too much and flooded the street outside my office. I’m about to go venture out and see if I can make it to the highway. We’ll see.

[Listening to: Marketplace]

Update: 4:40 p.m. - I am still at work, and it doesn’t look like I’ll be able to get out of the parking lot anytime soon as the only connecting street is flooded.

that i moved into my apartment in july and have yet to receive a bill for electricity? right before i left for new york (around sept. 27), i got nervous and thought i might come home and find the power shut off. so i called and asked if there is any reason i haven’t received a bill. i was told the error was theirs; the transfer of service to my new address didn’t go through properly. i would receive a letter when my billing begins that will also explain if i’ll be responsible for the last few months of power. i still have not received that letter.

that i am writing a crappy novel this month? november is national novel writing month and a group called nanowrimo is challenging people everywhere to write a 50,000 word novel by Nov. 30, no matter how bad. i’ll work on mine and let you know how you can read it either during or after my attempts to complete it.

did you know that the water coming out of the ozarka water cooler at work is cloudier than the tap water? gross.

[Listening to: KCRW 89.9 FM - Morning Becomes Eclectic]