Mind Vomit by the ikss: catching up with the ikss

Well, hello there.

So yeah, I kind of got out of the blogging business for a while. In truth, my now-former employer actually restricted my access to blogs and so I could no longer update while on my lunch hour*. And you know, I usually just can not be bothered to log on to the internet when I get home. I’m on the computer all day long, people. When I’m home, I want to make dinner, have a glass of wine, snuggle up to The Old Man and watch Family Guy.

Speaking of which – how awesome is it that Family Guy is now on like seventeen different channels, at all hours of the day and night?

You see how long it’s been since I last updated? I think the last time I wrote in this blog, there were “Save Family Guy” petition sites up and running…

Anyway, so I deleted all my old posts. That was another time, another ikss. My life is quite different now than it was two years ago.

You know – not in a “I am now Jehovah’s Witness” kind of way, just in a “I have a new job and I’m moving” kind of way. Oh and I’m no longer single. I think I was still single the last time I updated this thing. I can’t really remember, cuz it’s been so long since I updated this thing.

And no, I don’t mean “I am no longer single” in the “I now pronounce you husband and wife” sense of those words. I only mean that the Old Man and I are shaking up.

The deletion process was very freeing. I feel new. Fresh. Reborn.

Oh and hey? As a side note? There are several pair of shoes on the Steve Madden site that I want to buy right now. Sure, they total $300…but each pair is on sale! I have totally had the “check out” page up in the background of my computer for like six hours, without proceeding to the “Payment” segment. I keep going back to it, double-checking the shoes and making sure that I do, in fact, need that pair in two different colors, but not quite having the cajones to type in my credit card information just yet.

The Old Man and I are moving at the end of this month, you see. There are deposits to be made. Movers to be paid (because I am done – done, I say! – moving that damn California King mattress!). Buying $300 worth of shoes is probably not the most fiscally responsible thing I could do right now.

But damn they’re cute! Plus, they’re summer shoes and I totally need new summer shoes.

At my old job, we were always so cold inside the building (if I still had an audience for this blog, some of you old-time readers may recall my mentioning the frigid office temperature in an entry or two…or two thousand…), it didn’t matter that I did not have a lot of Summer clothes cuz I basically needed to wear a parka in order to sit at my desk comfortably.

Now? It matters. My new office tends to get hot.

What else has been going on in my life?

Well, this year, I have watched End of the Century like seventeen times. Apparently, I like the movie. It’s great, of course, because it’s about the Ramones. And it’s sad, of course, because it’s about the Ramones.

I watched Into The Wild which I actually liked even more than the book (I think that’s a first). I bawled like the proverbial baby, but that movie meant a lot to me and after watching it, I spent three full hours trying to convince The Old Man to run away with me to Alaska, to live in an abandoned school bus.

I guess I can not give a run-down of every film I’ve seen since my last typepad post, but as my final Timely Movie Review for the day: have y'all seen the movie Bobby? I watched it last night. I liked it a lot. I wasn't even bored by Demi Moore, which is saying something. The same can not be said, however, for Lindsay Lohan, who was every bit as boring on screen as she always is. Once again, I cried my eyes out during many parts of the movie. Anyway, I recommend it.

In political news – I am supporting Obama. Of course, since he and John McCain are now the only survivors of Primary Season, that should come as a surprise to nobody. Initially, I supported John Edwards. Once he dropped out of the race, the tremendous weight of my support was thrown to Barack Obama.

In the almost-best-news-ever category: I recently hung out with three members of X (drummer DJ Bonebrake was conspicuously absent). Niece Amy and her friend, Marina, and I went to see X at the Henry Fonda Theater (which I have a habit of calling the Henry Ford Theater, for some inexplicable reason). I knew they were having an after-show party on the roof, cuz I’d heard about it on Indie. I was determined to get in to that party! Well, after an evening of flashing the ol’ cleavage and flirting shamelessly with two security guards (the ikss has still got it!), we got up to the party. Where I discussed politics with John Doe.

Life is good.

As I mentioned, I also have a new job. The old company was acquired by a new one and the acquisition meant the elimination of my position. I worked there for almost seven years. So yeah, it was kind of sad to leave some of the people I had become friendly with. But really, losing that job was a very good thing. It was a very long, drawn out and painful process, but once I was fully kicked to the curb, I was the Happiest Girl in the Whole USA. I had plenty of notice and therefore plenty of time to find a new job. April 30 was my last day at the old place of employment. I took some time off, went to Vegas and to Santa Fe, and started my new job on May 12. Making $10,000 more per year than I was at the old place. Plus an additional 10% bonus each year.

Right the hell on, I say.

Plus, the new work environment (Friendly Flower Place) has a stress level which is significantly lower than I am used to. Granted, I have not been here long and I’m sure the stress will come (we are, after all, heading in to a computer system conversion, of which I am a huge part because I have been through such a conversion before). But for now, I am loving the easy-going atmosphere and the drive through acres of flowers and plants on my way in to work each morning.

I must say, I have been truly blessed by so many things. I can not believe how lucky I am to have found a new job so quickly, this day in age. Not to mention, a job wherein I am making more money than I was. I interviewed with three different companies during my weeks of job-hunting. Two of those interviews resulted in job offers.

Needless to say, that was very encouraging.

The new job necessitates a move to…*shudder*…Orange County. Yes, the OC. I have even looked at several places in Laguna Beach.

Now those of you who do not live in Southern California may not understand how vile an idea it is that I, the ikss, Uber-Liberal and defender of Civil Liberties, am soon to be living Behind the Orange Curtain. Understand – Orange County is the Land of the GOP. Big Money. Very conservative. Extremely Republican. They may not understand and certainly will not appreciate my “Dumb. Dumber. Dubya.” bumper sticker.

Alas, I am presently commuting 50 miles to work every day. 100 miles on my car – every day. And gas costs $4.60 around these parts.

‘Nuff said. I’m moving.

Besides…There is a secret society of Liberals sprouting up in Orange County. First, my friend Jodi moved there several years ago. Now me. In September, my niece Carla and her hubby are moving there. We will soon overthrow The Man.

There shall be Anarchy in the OC.

The house hunt has been adventurous, fun and highly stressful. About a month ago, I found a cute house in Laguna Niguel. Sadly, so did six other people. They rented it to the person with the highest FICO score and that person wasn’t me.

Last week, I found the perfect little house on the hill. Fabulous views of the city, the hills and the ocean! It was just the right size, had everything we need and nothing we don’t need. Both The Old Man and I agreed on it. I liked the property owner. She loved us. We totally agreed that The Old Man and I would be moving in on June 21. I had my address changed on my accounts. Having been out of checks for months, I ordered new ones as soon as I had a new address. I arranged to have my electricity and gas services transferred.

Then she emailed me and told me she decided not to move to Los Angeles, after all.

AARRGGHH!!!!!

Long story short, I met a very wonderful broker at an open house in Laguna Beach last weekend. I told her what had happened and she emailed me information on several houses for sale and for rent – including three houses in the same community as our “perfect little house on the hill”!

So last night, The Old Man and I looked at all three of the little houses. We narrowed it down to two choices - one is almost exactly like my "perfect little house on the hill" except it has a bigger (and way awesomer) yard. It is the most expensive, though. The other is smaller, as it does not have both a living room and a family room. Living room only. It does, however, have a new oven and dishwasher, whereas the appliances in the bigger place are extremely outdated. As is the horrible floor in the dining room, just the memory of which makes me shudder.

So after much discussion, during which The Old Man behaved in a consistently annoying, practical manner, we decided we should apply for the smaller and less expensive of the two homes. And so we shall.

There are lots of other boring little details, such as the fact that I actually put a hold on a back-up townhouse and that the agent I am working with is recommending that we offer less in rent than the owner is asking; but I will spare you. Just keep your fingers crossed that our new prospective landlords will soon give me the keys to my new, perfect little house on the hill.

Seeing as this entry is now 4 pages long (Times New Roman, font size 12), I will call it a day for today. Stay tuned for another episode of House Hunting with the ikss.

Peach, Love and Smooches, y’all.

*and no, this is not the reason I no longer work there.