Here's Hopeing

This is going to be a short entry since I'm going to head off to bed at 9:15pm. "Why" you may ask. Because, if all goes according to plan, which it has yet to do, Laura and I will depart DC for Chicago.

Here's hopeing all goes well, and you can follow our updates here, or on twitter.

Next time I post, I hope to be out of DC.

Seriously?!!

More snow?!! More snow?!!! 10-20in more of snow?!! coming to DC?

I know what some of you are thinking:

• Q: "Why don't you just leave now before the next wave?"
• A: The storm is coming from Chicago, who, by the way, is getting 2ft of snow today. As such, we would be driving through a giant snow storm and into a city that may not be able to accomodate a moving truck.

• Q: "Why don't you load the truck now and drive it out of the city?"
• A: Having dug out a Honda Civic (see older posts), I dare not risk digging out a giant moving truck. Also, the last thing we want is for all of our stuff to sit in a truck.

After considering all options, stressing, and freaking out, it was around 9am this morning that I reached a zen-like state. There is nothing we can do. No level of planning, scheming, or stressing will change the realities that face us currently. Subsequently, I now resign myself to the reality that; if we leave on Thursday (not too likely), we leave on Thursday; if we leave on Friday (more likely), we leave on Friday; and finally, if we leave on Saturday (Fenty, the DC mayor had best have those streets cleared by then), we leave on Saturday.

Here is hoping for the best, although I have given up planning for it.

Really Trying to Get Out

I spent two hours last night digging our car out of the snow. Two hours of shoveling only so that I could finally get into my car. Note, however, that if I do indeed move the car, I will never again find a spot to park on the street.

Now normally, when the snow start falling, most people stay inside and warm up by the glow of a fire and or television. We, however, could not enjoy those feelings since our apartment was in a series of boxes. We packed for hours. We took a break to eat what little food we had left. Then, following that, we continued to pack more. We have packed so much that our apartment looks like a DMZ. However, we still hope, pray, and plan to leave DC tomorrow morning. Wish us luck.

Snow More Problems

Sometimes you feel as though someone up there doesn't want you to leave. For me this manifests itself as 14-20" of snow three days before Laura and I are scheduled to leave.

While Laura seems to have made a new friend (its a reference to the snowman that Laura also made, get it?), the rest of us are hunkered down hoping that a weeks notice is enough to encourage the DC, MD, and VA governments to successfully plow the streets.

In the interim, Laura and I continue packing boxes and hoping for the best.

Best Laid Plans....

So the stuff just hit the fan (although, its probably not as bad as I think it is).

After learning that the movers we hired would take at least two weeks to deliver our belongings, Laura and I decided to take the plunge and do the driving ourselves. So far we have a moving truck and movers in DC to load the truck for us. We continue to search for a mover to unload the truck in Chicago.

The nice thing to come out of this is a sizable savings in cost, along with the avoidance of two weeks sleeping on an inflatable mattress as we await the delivery of our bed.

I know that all will work out, however, perhaps not the way I originally envisioned.

Been a Long-Time Coming

Back by popular demand (mostly from my spin class), I will be keeping a blog of my transition to Chicago. Now, onto the post.

Well, its been a while since my last post here. Lots has happened, and, if you are reading this, you probably already know most of it. I became engaged to be married, graduated from law school, passed the bar, and had my start date at my future law firm deferred until March 1st. Finally, and most importantly for the purposes of this blog, is that my future law firm is located in Chicago!

That's right, Chicago. City of Al Capone, Doyle Lonnegan (see The Sting), and Richard Daley. Come to think of it, they are all gangsters. Well, there is more to Chicago, my future home, than just mobsters. There is snow. More snow. And even more snow.

So in an attempt to keep in touch with all my friends, and to keep them apprised of my doings and happenings, I am, once again, attempting to keep a blog.

So enjoy as we prepare for one of the largest moves of my life.

Finally, you can follow part of the trip from my twitter feed too (thats right, a blog and twitter, I'm SOOO cool): http://twitter.com/@zman81

Going Out on a High Note

Much to my dismay the summer is coming to an end.

But before it does, there are still a couple of things I need to do.

TO DO LIST:
Sat: Dodgers Game and Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles
Sun: Running to the "Hollywood" Sign
Next Weekend: Getty Museum

ALREADY DONE LIST:
Santa Monica Pier
Malibu
Drinking in Hollywood and BevHill
Disneyland
San Diego
San Francisco
Las Vegas
Driving Mullholand Dr.
Farmer's Market
Walk through BevHills (okay, we ran out of gas, but I did get to walk past the police station from BevHills Cops. Fun fact, BevHills has their own civil services so LA Cops are not BevHills Cops).

WONT MAKE:
Sedona Wine Country
Hurst Castle (the Citizen Kane House)
Drive up Pacific Coast Highway to San Fran

Last night was the last Shabat cedar in LA for me. A nice jewish family welcomed me with open arms to their weekly cedars which allowed me to meet some really sweet interesting people while getting some really great chicken soup; during my trip these dinners became something of a regular thing for me a perfect way to start, or sometimes conclude, a Friday night, thanks Sandy.
[Side note, this family lives down the street from Beckham which sounds great until you realize they come with dozens of paparrazi. I did not appreciate how sketchy these guys were until I drove past them yesterday.]

Following dinner a couple of us went to the Beverly Hills Hotel. Once again I realized I need to pay attention to my surroundings more. While sitting at our booth Katie Holmes, who apparently cut her hair really short, and her child stood five feet away being serenaded by the piano player. One of the Olsen twins walks past looking like a hooker with a new conquest. And I got to see the goalie and owner of Chelsea FC (although the piano bar was littered with all the Chelsea support staff donning their uniforms trying desperately to impress the women there. Apparently no one let them in on the fact that American women don't follow soccer).

After two nights of late partying, and a baseball game the next day, I packed it in.