The Rest Of My Stay California

The date is now Tuesday, the 5th of March.


The drive back down the coast was uneventful. I started to space out about the journey that I had in front of me all of the unknowns that I was about to face. No job, no visa, I hadn't paid my taxes in the US yet, I did not even have plane tickets yet! I had a lot of little things to get done. When I got back I set up my desktop computer that I had brought from VA...I don't know why. I figured I could at least get the taxes done. one nice thing about not making a lot of money is taking the standard deduction paying the difference and being done with it. Should not have taken more than 30 minutes, HA. Of course, I forgot that CGI had changed payroll providers and that we were all issued two W2 forms to be included in our 2012 returns. I only had one.. thankfully CGI being the great company that it is, handled the problem about as fast as I would expect. A few emails/days later I had scanned copies of my W2's submitted my taxes and thanks to H&R Block I was at a low risk of being audited (not sure if they ever audit people taking a standard deduction).

Taxes done. Later Tuesday I had a dinner with an old neighbor from Virginia. He was in town with one of his exchange students on their way to Hawaii. He loves southern California, but sold his house here a few years back and is looking for a way to make it back. He took my sister and I out for a fabulous meal at Duke's in Huntington Beach, just up the road from my grandparents place in Newport. Dinner was terrific, a great place to eat and entertain, a little on the pricey side, but worth it. We gave them a nice send off and my sister headed back up to LA and I back to Newport.

The next day I got to catch up with my old college roommate again. We got invited to play golf with his girlfriends dads retired fireman's golf league. We played The Golf Club of California, and it only cost $50! Amazing price for the course, I would have expected three times that and I am sure it probably is. The old guys get deals by calling ahead stating their case and getting a group rate. Everyone is happy helping out retired firemen. Sean and I got to play together, first time in a long time, we are by no means in the playing shape that we were once in, but solid nonetheless. Think we both finished around 80. I lost a few balls into the desert, worlds largest hazard, but hit a lot of great shots as well. Sean has one of the most perfect golf swings you will ever see, it's amazing to me that he ever hits a bad shot. He has good tempo, well balanced, symmetrical golf swing. I on the other hand rarely hold my footing after I make contact (probably because I swing too hard). We both however, manage to get the ball in the hole with less strokes than most. After the round Sean's girlfriends dad treated us to lunch, which I very much appreciated, golf for some reason really takes it out of you. Talking with the retired old men after the round was very entertaining as well. Apparently, they spend their days rehearsing their jokes because I have never laughed so hard. The jokes were a little inappropriate to say the least, so I wont repeat them here. I also found out that one of the retired firefighters daughters was getting married to the drummer of The Script, a popular Irish pop/soul band. California is such a crazy place, everyone knows famous people.

So at this point, I have a few assets that I need to get rid of. I have a car, a computer, and a bike to dish off on my family. Thankfully my sister happily took all of my stereo/TV/kitchen supplies (which I may or may not take back:). The car, I decided after much debate to give it to my little cousin. He is in high school driving moms old minivan. The Jetta, may not be a huge step up in the world, but it is a step. Not quite knowing how to drive a manual car, driving lessons needed to start pronto. The biggest thing in driving a manual car is getting in and out of first gear and finding the engagement point of the clutch. We practiced a lot on the side streets around my grandparents house in Newport, I even took him on a few hills. He got the hang of it, but was still struggling on our last lesson. Eventually, with a manual car you need to just go out and do it for yourself. You figure it out best when it is just you and the car, no teacher there to heckle or tell you what your doing wrong. I was confident that he would pick it up.

I will fast forward a bit here, turns out that was a terrible idea. Done with good intention, but a terrible idea nonetheless, lesson learned for sure. Needing to settle on the largest asset I own, I signed the title over to my Aunt for $1. I also, made an agreement with my uncle that if and when they decided to sell the car that they cut me a check for half. My thinking was that it gives them the incentive to seek top dollar. Apparently, the car would not pass the California state inspection, the smog test I believe, though it was good for the year with VA tags. Story as I hear it, they sold the car to the dealer that said it was not worth fixing... they did get the bottom range of the blue book value for the car which was good. Now I guess I am funding my cousins new car, which I have no problem with, as they are keeping the said half. I should have just sold the car myself while I was out there, would have gotten more money for the car and kept the lot. I guess the way I saw this playing out was a little different in my head. In my mind, my cousin would drive the car for the next few years and maintain it. I would check up on it every once in awhile, float the idea of buying it back, because I am a soon to be broke graduate student (hopefully). If not, they would sell it when he was ready for a new car a few years from now and I would get a check for half. A few years from now was key because I would have known that my cousin got good use out of the car, appreciated it as I did for so many years. I just didn't expect it all to happen so fast, and not even be included in the decision. I should have been asked to be included when the decision was made. Guess there were emotional ties with the car after all. It was my first and only car ever. I have a lot of good memories with the Jetta from high school through college into my professional life and my funemployment. Would have liked to keep it in the family. Anyway whats done is done, no more Jetta, the end of an era.

One of the first things that my grandfather said to me when he saw me with my drifter beard was that I looked like the Greek God Poseidon. I wanting to humor my grandfather went down to Carona Del Mar, had him take a few photos..thank you photoshop.

Shortly after that photo was taken came the debearding! I had been traveling for the better part of two months by this point (didn't shave once). It was a great beard, but in order to get a job behind a desk in an office, I felt it needed to go. I also needed to get past customs;) I may start it up again after I get a job, I love not shaving! My cousin and I took a few photos during the process...

The next day I got a hair cut as well. I was going the whole nine yards. From wild mountain man to clean shaving Cali boy. I went to an awesome barber shop in Newport called Hawleywood. A true barber shop, they take their time, they do it right. They edge you up with a flat razor they use warm shaving cream, best cut I have gotten, probably ever. You can even drink beers in the back while you wait. Great place for a cut.

After my haircut I was off, back up the coast to Hollywood to spend some time with my sister and show off the new cut, haha. My sister and I decided to be touristy and hike the Hollywood sign! A hike which I have never done before. What a blast, such great trails cutting in and around the hills there, amazing views of Los Angles, we may have gone a little to far, but we certainly enjoyed the day. We talked/caught up the whole time which was nice as well. Who knows the next time we were going to see each other.

When I finally made it back to Newport I decided on travel dates and purchased tickets. My parents the great people that they are gave me a mileage ticket for my birthday, in January! All I had to do was pick the dates. I decided to leave the day after my grandfathers birthday for Hawaii and leave from Hawaii the day after my aunts birthday. Mum said I just had to be in Perth by Easter. I cut it close, but I made it. My computer, one of my final assets I needed to get rid of, was given to my Aunt and little cousin as another machine for them. They were very appreciative. I could have kept it, but at the rate things change it would have been ancient when I got back. I planned to keep the bike in my grandparents garage. May even be shipping it to Australia.

Now I had to PACK! I made a few quick shopping trips, picking up the necessities because from what I was told everything was more expensive in Perth (very true). I was checking two bags and my golf clubs. That was it, if it didn't fit it wasn't coming. I was also acting as a mule for my mother and her friend. I had about 10 pounds of fabric and a soda stream. As well as a handful of stuff from her friend. All I could do was smile:) After some strategic decision making on what to bring and what not to bring, I successfully reduced my life to 150lbs and my back back. How big is your footprint?

Doc's birthday was amazing. Every time our family gets together is great! We had just about half of the family there for this one. It is very special being able to celebrate your grandparents birthdays with them regardless of how old they are.

The next day my grandparents drove me up to LA. I planned to have one last hoorah with my oldest friend and give St. Patrick's day a proper celebration! We danced, drank Guinness, shot Jameson into all hours of the night. Thankfully, my flight did not leave until four the next day.

It was hard to say good bye to everyone, particularly my grandparents. I was still not sure what was in store for me, so I was not too emotional about it. I was still in kind of a shell shocked state, nothing was real yet. All I knew is that I had a great adventure ahead of me.

*Insert Hawaii post here.