I'm in LA. Have been for one month now. I like to move -- force myself into the unknown so I can grow. Funny thing about moving is that you think you have your act all together before you move. You're like, "Hell, bring on the adventure! I can handle anything. Be damned this illusion I call 'home'. My soul needs to fly!"

So I totally uproot myself. And then about 5 minutes later I want to crawl in a hole. I feel totally exposed and vulnerable and inadequate and silly for attempting to live out the big dream. I don't know anyone. And it's hard to make new friends, even though everyone seems so friendly. It's just not my thing. It stresses me out. I hope the anxiety will settle down a bit once I find a more permanent residence.

But I really can't complain. Ogilvy's got me in corporate housing on the beach in Santa Monica. So overall, like the shirt says....


Here's the view from my balcony. Just behind the tennis courts is the beach. It's huge!


Plus, I bought a mini cooper s convertible, which has been lots of fun.


And LA mani/pedis are even cheaper than New York! We're talking $20 for both. For an extra $5, you can get a flower on your toes. It's an LA thing, I'm told. How cool is that?!


That was last week. Here's this week's:


You really can't tell, but they stuck a green emerald in the center of the flower.

Anyway, I'm making friends. I got invited to go hiking a couple weeks ago with a woman named Tali from Carry On, a PR agency consulting with Nature Made, one of the clients I'm working with. We went not too far from her house on the other side of the Hollywood Hills.

I really like her! I can't recall the name of the trail exactly, but we saw Alex Trebek's house --from Jeopardy (HUGE!) -- Cuba Gooding Jr.'s house and George Clooney's house on our walk.

I hope she calls me again, because...as everyone knows, I'm terrible about initiating.

I made a couple new friends at work. One is named Minnie -- just like my car -- although she drives a mini-VAN!! Still, you'd never know it b/c she is cool and very real and seems to have a very happy family life. I have a good feeling we were meant to be friends.

And my other work friend is John Dullaghan. He made a film called, "Bukowski" about Charles Bukowski, the poet.


It's called "Born Into This." I really like it. You can find it at Hollywood Video. I'm reading CB's poetry now. Bono is in the film. So is Sean Penn. They're both into Chas. Bukowski's work. BTW, he was the real-life model for "Barfly", the feature film based on his early life. Bukowski seems to me an awful lot like my Grandpa, Leo Rodak. I'll bet my mom would like it.

I dedicate this blog entry to her - Leona Jane Silka. I really love you, mom. I wish you could know that. I'm listening to "Instant Karma" now. It's a John Lennon tribute album. All proceeds go to save Darfur. The song, "Mother" makes me think of you. It's covered by Christina Aguillera, who has such a beautiful voice. I hope you'll listen.

Anyway, back to LA dreaming for me....

And I promise my next post will be about progress on Raising Malawi.