...The next month was an absolute whirlwind, stressful and emotional on an entirely different level. I had done all that work closing the chapter on my life in NJ but now I had more work to do starting my new life in CA. Each day was a mirror image of the previous month. I got up and went to the gym (a very thoughtful yet practical birthday present from Steve on my visit two months prior). Since I was 19 years old it was the one thing I could count on for consistency and structure and a guaranteed stress reliever. I would then come home and continue unpacking. I had the most amazing walk in closet in my condo but now had to set up a new one that was not a walk in and laid out much differently. I admittedly have a lot of clothes and shoes. Even before the moving truck arrived I had the 4 suitcases I brought on the plane, a trunk full of boxes and suitcases from my car being shipped to unload plus all the boxes I had been sending ahead for the past couple of months. My office/dressing room needed to be painted, a chore I really, really hate but not unfamiliar with plus new blinds to be ordered and installed. I had also given Steve a to do list of things to get rid of before I arrived (mostly crappy furniture and junk he kept for no good reason) which thankfully to my daily phone or text harassment he completed. If he did that I promised to do all the organizing when I got here. Guess who made out on the deal? Hint: not me.
Steve really did his best to make me feel welcome and distract me from missing my family and friends. Unfortunately his 50th birthday fell five days after I arrived so I wasn't capable of doing anything big but I gave him a great gift and took him out wherever he wanted to for dinner. I am making it up to him this year big time. We are spending a weekend in Phoenix to see our favorite Philadelphia Eagles play with a huge group of Eagles Nation fans so I get to share that gift. Steve thought a night at the theater would cheer me up and he got tickets to Evita at Pantages in Hollywood a place we had been many times before to see shows including on my very first visit. The next weekend we got tickets to a UCLA football game (my first college game ever since mine didn't have a team). We went with his friend and tailgated with another family. It was a lot of fun and the distractions were helpful. For months my life and living spaces had been so unsettled and I just wanted to not be packing or unpacking or planning moving details. I wanted it to be over already. My third Sunday there we were at the bar watching our Eagles play with some other fan transplants and I finally got the call that the transport company arrived in LA with my stuff. I was really happy, since they had given me a 10-21 day window I was basically waiting for a call every day at this point. They would be at our apartment to unload the next morning. Once that was done we could call the carpet cleaners which had never been done in Steve's 8 years in residence. Finally the Sunday before Thanksgiving I emptied that last box and took it to the dumpster. I couldn't believe it but I was done. I looked around at all I had accomplished and was actually satisfied.
The timing was perfect because we had been tossing around the idea of what to do for Thanksgiving and finally settled on having anyone over who had no other family in town or plans for the Holiday. Next to Halloween Thanksgiving is my favorite. As a native New Yorker and a childhood attendee of the Macy's parade I got up every year to watch it, got my workout in (allowing me to eat whatever I wanted the rest of the day) and watch football. Growing up in a large Italian family it was a fun Holiday and we would spend hours at the dinner table then stay at that same table eating dessert and playing cards. I love to cook and Steve and I had several successful parties during my previous visits so he invited our usual friends and anyone else who wanted to stop by. It was a great day and as much as I missed my family I enjoyed having everyone over. The house was lively and festive and the guests stayed until late into the night.
December came along and both excited to get a tree, our first in this apartment (we had gotten and decorated a tree the year before at my condo). Steve had a few decorations but 90% of the house and tree trimmings were mine. The place looked great and I proudly texted pictures to everyone back home. We did our Christmas shopping for each other and family except this time I had to ship everything along with receiving their gifts in the mail. I skyped with my family two days before Christmas while we opened each others gifts. Christmas Eve for Italians brings the tradition of The Feast of Seven Fishes. In NJ, NY, PA you can find plenty of Italian restaurants that serve the meal but out here nowhere to be found so we cooked one ourselves. I attended Mass and Steve came with me even though he's not catholic. It was very sweet and generous of him. Steve and I decided to host the same "orphan" holiday gathering for Christmas dinner. But for New Years Eve we were invited to a party. We went for Indian food then for a drink to celebrate the east coast New Year at 9:00pm and off to the party for my first CA new year. The party was fun and I enjoyed meeting new people.
I had made a deal with myself that once the holidays were over I would get my new public speaking business and advocacy work started. My adjustment period was over and a new year would truly signify my new life and career...
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