North Park, CA

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I moved, again! This has been on the horizons for a while but it finally happened. My roommate and friend Amelia’s lease was finally up so the opportunity was there.

We moved yesterday and I’m feeling the results today. I wanted to work out before work but it was never going to happen (hysteric laughter). This week was punishing mentally and physically. Work was a grind with some personnel changes adding more work to the plate while I had this big move on my mind.

The increase in rent and such has kept my mind worried and stressed. I can handle it but I have to be more frugal now and watch my spending unlike before. My pay also didn’t go up as much as I hoped but I think with some patience that will come. I’m in the right position to achieve at work that will reward me.

Moving sure bleeds the wallet though. Since I got my new car I’ve been trying to catch up on my savings. I hate seeing it go down and down while spend but that should subside soon. Part of my stress also comes from planning my Japan trip in exactly a month.

Still haven’t booked a hotel for the first few nights and shit… Kinda brutal, but Andrew and I will work it out. Once I get back in May, work takes full priority again with summer time. This season could potentially overwhelm the whole company with business. I’m not certain we’re even prepared for the wave of demand coming our way.

It’s good for my career while in the sort term I worry about the physically and mentally toll. I’ll survive but I also don’t want to feel miserable because I’ve never felt that way about this wonderful place I work at. I love this place I want it to stay sacred forever. It’s been a foundation and sanctuary during the really tough stretch of 2016 and for the rest of the great times I’ve experienced living a good life independently.

Anyway, life is pretty good right now despite some personal stress. Next week I’m having a special visitor so I’m expecting more highs soon.

A Day in North Park

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The last few weeks I’ve felt a lot of personal stress. I’ve had trouble with my car, my emotional baggage, and work has bothered me in some aspects. Today I had my usual day off and I made some solid plans ahead of time to get some joy out of my free time.

It was the correct kind of therapy, escape, or mini-vacation away from work and what is going on personally. Also having purchased a new car has relieved a lot of pressure.

North Park is my local get away. It’s the big city yet it’s still hip and communal. It’s urban but isn’t downtown. Contrary to popular belief there are places you can go that aren’t gentrified.

I went to a cafe two blocks away from University for some coffee, sandwich, and space to read my book in peace. I need more cafe time in my life.

Walked over to Red Brontosaurus Records a block on the other side. It’s small but one of the better shops I’ve been to. They have a ton of used retro games which are over priced but still cool to see.

Their vinyl collection is very strong. It’s not as big a store as Lou’s or Spin back in North County but there’s a lot of local band’s records and new vinyl from new bands. It’s not just reprints of classics. They had older original records too.

I walked away with a copy of a Texas is the Reason and Samuel split single 7″ from 1995 (fucking awesome!) and Katie Ellen’s first single 7″. I think it’s time for me to get a record player.

Took my stuff back to the new car and went to lunch at Sicilian Thing Pizza. Again, it’s a treat to get away from everything and have two slices with a beer. I also so thing gorgeous woman. She was having the same thing as me.

If only I knew how to strike up a conversation with a stranger at a pizza shop. Anyway, it was just a nice moment to love life.

I read my book a little while downing my drink but I needed to kill some time before driving back. Normal Records was just two blocks away.

My close friend Greg and I had just been there two weeks ago. I had gotten a nice Touche Amore live 7″ and a Metallica poster for Hardwired…To Self-Destruct. The owner Caleb is pretty friendly and remembered me.

We had a nice discussion about how he gets inventory from his distributor. He’s been trying to get something with Burger Records for a while. He showed me a Ride The Lightning and Kill’em All cassette he had just sold.

If only I could have had those… Instead I took home an original Big Star #1 Record, and a Daft Punk Random Access Memories and Joy Division Unknown Pleasures poster. I’m very happy with those. Caleb had just gotten the Big Star record and joked about having to order another one.

Today was the kind of day I needed to rejuvenate. This Super Bowl weekend will refresh me too.