Links I Like

Some things I've read recently:

• Attention unemployed writers! Try your hand at ghost writing for an exiled Sheikh.  
• I guess you have to choose your baby's name carefully in Iceland, otherwise you'll have a lawsuit on your hands.  
• Oh, Lindsay.  
• How many of these ten things that smart people do can you check off?
• The world's fastest animal, in slow motion.  Beautiful.  

November Flashback

I'm feeling far behind in many things, most of which take priority over this blog.  But let's try some quick recaps.

Back to November....by the time I realized I wanted to see Lord Huron, I'd missed a couple LA shows.  Lucky for me, they were playing at Amoeba the night before I left for Thanksgiving.  Lovely set, and one of my favorite albums of 2012. 

I wrangled up another Century City lunch group - we had a delicious time at Rock Sugar.

Georgetown Cupcake opened!  My favorite cupcakes of anywhere.  I had to grab a half dozen, plus the free one of the day.  So good.

A Friday afternoon run.  Such a pretty day.

Links I Like

Some links I like lately (or have been compiling since November):

• I've been following this six-part Scientology story about growing up and then leaving the church.  
• I've walked or driven across a couple borders in my day (Guatemala/Belize, Spain/Morocco, US/Canada) and this is an interesting look at some border crossings.  
• I haven't made it to China yet, but this is a stunning time-lapse video of life in three Chinese cities.  It really starts moving just before the one minute mark.    
• Letters of Note has been one of my favorite sites to read, and this note from President Reagan to his son on his wedding day is lovely.  
• Did you know there are letters that didn't make it into the alphabet?

Great Los Angeles Walk

Where was I?

Back in November I rounded up a few friends to join me on the Great LA Walk - a 19 mile walk from downtown LA all the way to the beach in Santa Monica (though I ended up stopping at my house). It's an organized event that's just for fun, no registration or payment required.  Just show up, walk, and explore the city!  Some shops and restaurants along the way had special deals for our group.

First step though, getting up early and taking the bus across the city to DTLA.  Our fellow bus passengers were both entertaining, memorable, and a little scary. An hour later, Haleigh, MK, and I made it to our starting point.

I found Jami and the HB crew in the crowd, and off we went.

First stop, Valerie Confections for some free hot chocolate and sweets.

Stop 2, Scoops, which I skipped because it was too early and cold to eat ice cream.

The main route took us down Melrose, a street I have intended to explore more.  This shop looked darling.

<Insert photo of my and the HB gang here, except I'm in a really weird pose and look terrible.>  Just imagine.

We couldn't resist stopping in here.  Wow.

I spy Ace of Cakes!

And puppies!

Lunch at ink.sack, appropriate, since Carol and I had just dined at Ink.  This is the sandwich shop next door, and of course I had to order the Jose Andres, since I've eaten at almost all of his restaurants.  Anything inspired by him must be just as good!

Wonderful sandwich.  Side of Dr Pepper, and I couldn't have been happier.

At this point it was getting drizzly.  We were hurting and ready to get home.

Beverly Hills, almost home.

Nineteen miles and a couple blisters later, home sweet home.  I missed the after party in Santa Monica along with the group photo, but eh.  I'll do it again next year.

On Resolutions...

I'm not really one for really a ton of resolutions, but I've been thinking about how life can get stagnant.  I've been meandering through work, church, friendships, relationships for the last couple years since moving to LA, and I don't want to get too comfortable (which is really, really easy to do when you work at home in sweats every day).
 
A few things I'd like to do this year, upward and onward with life:

1) Keep up friendships through phone calls and video calls, not texting and Facebook.  My goal is to connect with someone each week that I haven't spoken with in awhile. Don't be surprised if I call you out of the blue.
2) I should take organ lessons.  I heard some stellar organ performances over the Christmas season, and it's just a cool instrument.  I wish I could unlock the magic.  I could, if I took a few lessons.
3) I saw this idea on another blog, but when nice/good/pleasant things happen, write it down on a small piece of paper and put it in a jar.  Read all of those things at the end of the year for a nice recap.
4) Take a French class.  Or some class.  I kind of miss school.
5) Keep up with scripture study, especially since I'll probably be speaking in church more frequently. I should prepare!

Arctic Blast

Yep, we're a bunch of wusses.

Happy New Year!

Yes, I'm alive.

It's just that the first week of January back to work lacked all motivation, and I didn't want to do anything.  So I didn't.

Then I got sick for a few days, and I didn't want to do anything then either.  So I didn't.

Maybe in the next couple days I'll get my best of 2012 music posted, as well as my resolutions and goals for the year.  Just maybe.