One Year

Yesterday, I celebrated one year in Southern California. I've either lived in or visited many places and LA has seemed like the greatest adventure of my life to date. This has probably been the hardest, most exciting, most challenging, and most incredible year of my life. I say this fully aware that life will probably only get harder, more exciting, more challenging, and more incredible. I look forward to it.

Here are a few highlights.

Life - Most of this year has been consumed with figuring out how to be a children's librarian. I can proudly say that I've succeeded. I've endured the occasional failure, learned from it and moved forward. Yesterday, I decided I love my job when I heard some toddlers squealing with delight.

I attend a small ward with amazing people. I'm grateful for the lessons I've learned from them.

New Things - New experiences energize me. This year I have visited San Francisco (awesome!), Denver (cold!), and Chicago (miserable!). I have eaten street tacos, visited the Getty Villa, and frequented Disneyland. I've been the proud owner of a refrigerator, a flat screen televisions, and a couch.

Gratitude - One of my favorite hobbies is complaining about Los Angeles. I need to suck it up and be grateful. Some reasons why:

• I have met people from all walks of life. I love it!
  
• I still have a job despite layoffs.
• I get to be around children every day.
  
• The beach (need I say more)
  
• It doesn't get cold here.
  
• The Lord has blessed me with new talents and magnified my old ones. This is probably the thing I am the most grateful for. I have done things I never thought I could do.
• And much, much more!
  

Seriously So Embarrassed

Tonight's evening commute started with a bang. One of my coworkers always drops me off at the gas station by the bus stop. Today, I saw the bus pulling through the intersection as my coworker was rolling to a stop. I was out of his truck before he was finished moving.

SMACK! I ran directly into a tree branch.

Then ... SLIRP! My brand new Clark's shoe slid through the mud. I managed not to fall flat on my face.

I nearly died ... of embarrassment. I'm sure the teen librarian saw the whole mishap. The bus driver gave me a long flirtatious lecture which included lines like "I would have waited for you. Not other people but, of course, you." and "Do you roller skate? I roller skate a lot; you have good balance."

Oh, dear! My pride hurts.

5 Life Lessons

As should happen in all weeks I learned many things. Here are the top 5.

5. The Los Angeles Green Line Train isn't half bad, and is more efficient than the Boston Green LIne Train by far.

4. Actually enforcing consequences, improves kids' behavior. I know this isn't that huge of an epiphany. It also makes kids really mad.

3. Not all plums are disgusting. A farmer at the local farmer's market actually had a delicious variety.

2. Jicama is a large root vegetable with very little flavor. It doesn't just appear on vegetable trays in sticks. A whole jicama looks like this.

This week it was $.99/lb. at Ralph's. The most important part of the lesson. Jicama is heavy. I walked over 2 miles with two jicama. My arms are sore.

1. In the event of a power outage in the workplace and a subsequent closure. RUN! Do NOT walk to the nearest exit. Otherwise, the power will return before you have had time to vacate the premises.