If there were social rules governing The Facebook, this is what I’d want them to be

admin - September 29, 2010

I was among the earliest people (outside of Harvard people) to start using The Facebook – so early that it was still called The Facebook when I joined. It was 2004 – my junior year at Boston College – and I was studying abroad in Florence. I remember getting an IM (because that was still happening) from a friend who didn’t go abroad about this …

What people really mean when they say L.A. is an industry town

admin - September 27, 2010

I had a strong amount of working knowledge about Los Angeles prior to moving here (4 Ikea and 7 Target trips ago), so the fact that this is an “industry town” is no surprise to me. It’s precisely why I left the comforts of a 20-block commute and brunches that start at the proper brunch hour (in New York, Sunday at 9:30am is the middle …

Would you rather be the mean one or the nice one?

admin - September 24, 2010

I’d be in trouble if I said all but let’s say many-if-not most couples are comprised of two parts: a nice one and a not as nice one. It’s not quite a good cop/bad cop scenario (though some couples are that, which is interesting in and of itself). I’m saying one person in every couple is going to have slightly more edge, slightly more bite, …

California culture shock

admin - September 22, 2010

I have lived in LA for 2.5 weeks, but it still feels like I’m on some weird vacation – like my car is a rental car that I don’t really have to worry about, like I should do as much as humanely possible in a given day because I only have so many left, like I can wear white jeans even though it’s essentially October… …

There are boys, there are guys, and there are men

admin - September 20, 2010

As I see and have experienced it, there are three and only three distinct classifications of male – boys, guys, and men. They have no bearing on age (you can be a boy at 45 and a man at 24), don’t follow a specific progression (you can get to man if you never hit boy), and won’t necessarily stick once they’re hit (you could spend …

My dog ate my homework

admin - September 17, 2010

At 6:30am my alarm went off. I crawled out from under the covers (I sleep fully submerged in a sort of heat cocoon fashioned by my new down-alternative comforter and the bizarre natural heat produced by my sleeping body), reached for my glasses (I’m dangerously close to legally blind), and slumped over to my deep purple desk (positioned against my yellow focal wall. Brian: “You …

Attention potential movers, people who know people moving, and people who generally support justice

admin - September 15, 2010

There will be no formal post today on account of I spent from 7pm to 1am unpacking my life’s belongings after they finally arrived from New Jersey, 14 days and 9 hours after having left. According to google maps, that 3K distance can be traversed in under three days. Over a year ago Geanna did it in 3 days with a similarly sized 18-wheeler (note: …

The only person who got more up-tight in LA.

admin - September 13, 2010

I would not consider myself an anxious person. Excitable, yes. Animated, very yes. But a Nervous Nelly I have never been (nor a Debbie Downer, but I did go through a fairly Prudence McPrude stage, if we’re going through the alliteratives). On the whole, I’m even keel, calm under pressure, cool as a cucumber. One time this nun and I got stuck underground for 45 …

It isn’t you, Armin, it’s my brand new overwhelming life.

admin - September 10, 2010

This morning I lied over the phone to a man I’ve never met at the Volkswagen dealership in Van Nuys, California. His name was Armin. Well – is Armin but I’ve never met him and never will, so to me he’s past tensed. Armin and I met over my e-negotiations for a Jetta lease. Per Greg’s advice I spent the days since my arrival in …

LA Observations, 4 days in

admin - September 8, 2010

I have lived in Los Angeles for four days. I arrived on Saturday at 2:30pm but spent the remainder of that day shopping 90 mph then enjoyed celebratory libations until 1am, so it counts. Four days is not a lot of time to make a full call on this city, but it’s plenty of time for snap judgments and the confirmation of given existing prejudices. …

September 2010