Week One ~ Cactus & Sea

I lied a bit ~ I said I would update about my adventures every Friday.... but I think it would be safer to give myself more of a range with that. I'll update every "weekend." Don't judge. I have a lot going on and not a lot of time to work with!
But there's always time for .rapt and it's illusive readers!

 

 Friday marked week one of my new life in SoCal. It's been a bit interesting.... I've run into a few unexpected obstacles... one being that here in the south, ants are a huge problem. And if a household doesn't keep up with it's chores, the ants TAKE OVER. This couldn't be more true for the abode I'm currently living in. Being a house full of people in their 20's, not much cleaning gets done....And so there are ants erupting from every corner!... Pretty sick, yes? Not as sick as the lack of cleanliness. I'm so used to living at home and having a mother to do all the tidying-up. It was a huge wake up call to enter a home where nothing is ever taken care of. I took it upon myself to buy some cleaning supplies and scrub every inch of the bathroom I'll be using, as well as my new room. The kitchen however is a lost cause. I tried one afternoon to bomb the ants that reside in that part of the house, only to come out defeated. There are too many and it's way too dirty and disgusting to even put effort into it. So I bought myself a microwave for my room. I assure you lot, I won't be doing much cooking unless it comes in a microwavable container.
I never knew how much dedication it takes to keep a house clean until now. I've somehow become OCD about it and I'm actually okay with addmitting that. Someone has to become the mom in this dump of a place!

Despite the cleaning issue, the area I'm living in is gorgeous. I'm in a canyon surrounded by desert and cacti. What a way to live... :)

I'm still job hunting. I had my first interview on Friday afternoon for a lovely place downtown... It would be an ideal job, but I'm a bit fearful that I bombed the interview... Merely because there was an aptitude test that I feel I did horribly on. There were so many questions on it that I would have never known the answer to... The manager who did my interview was also a bit gruff. I suppose all I can do now is wait and see if I get a call back. In the meantime, I'll continue applying to places and hope for the best. It's certainly discouraging being jobless though, especially when everyone else in my household has a job and is bustling about all day while I'm laying on my new futon pondering life and wishing I wasn't so poor.
I'm keeping my fingers and toes crossed though.

Not everything has been discouraging. For the most part, I'm in love with the sea and the climate here. The views and the plants alone make me want to melt.... I truly believe that I belong in the southwest. I just need to keep my chin up. There is so much in life still waiting for me. I need to take full advantage of this opportunity and run with the wind! Something is bound to work out eventually.

You're all great. Comments are loved! If any of you have suggestions for me, I could certainly use a few. At least for assistance with my job search!

Photos and film of my first week in the desert sun are featured below!

Band of the Week Update tomorrow.

And so my new life begins....

I'm on my way to my new home in sunny San Diego! I'll miss Washington.... but not the rain. It was hard to say goodbye, especially to my mother and pup. But it's time to go out and see what life has to offer me...Try to find my happiness. I know it's out there somewhere.

Today (July 19th) was the first half of my two day journey south.... Just me, my car 'The Power', and anything I could fit in her. It's been great, one big cluster-F of a road trip. I can feel all my clutter weighing my poor hatchback down... But we'll get there, slow but sure. I'm currently spending the night in a quaint little motel with no food except tea to satisfy me until morning. Just one of the many pleasant things I've encountered throughout my long, unending day. I'm slightly alarmed that I'm still coherent.

I've wanted for a long time to incorporate more of my life into .rapt, rather than just focusing on music.... Despite the fact that music is a large part of my life. Maybe you (the reader) and I have more in common than we think?  It would be cool to find out, possibly? I don't know, bare with me while I try some new stuff out.

I am angry with myself though for not featuring a Band of the Week for quite some time, so from now until the 30th, let's throw M83 at your ears.
 I'm sure most of you know of this collaborative band already, but in case you don't..... PLEASE LISTEN. It took me several years to truly appreciate their music, but once I gave M83 more of a chance, I was hooked. Everything about their music screams inspiration to me. I don't think there's been a day since April that I haven't listened to at least one of their songs.


There are many, but give these particular tracks a listen:
Steve McQueen (Hurry Up, We're Dreaming record), Don't Save Us From The Flames (Before the Dawn Heals Us record), Graveyard Girls (Saturdays=Youth record), Kim & Jessie (Saturdays=Youth record), Reunion (Hurry Up, We're Dreaming record), Teen Angst (Before the Dawn Heals Us record), We Own the Sky (Saturdays=Youth record), and Claudia Lewis (Hurry Up, We're Dreaming record.

Don't get me wrong. All tracks on each record are immaculate, but these are my personal favorites.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE 

As much as I want to go on about my day, I think it would probably be wise to get some sleep with what little time I have to do it. I still have to take on the majority of California tomorrow.
Despite what people have told me about CA (good things or bad things) I intend to base my judgment of the state and the people in it on my own experiences. So if any of you are locals, make a good impression on me! So far, I have nothing but good feelings.

Wish me luck, lot!

I hate Looking, but...

It's completely unnecessary for me to even peek at what's new at my favorite attire sites, but Nasty Gal has a new collection of items that I'm currently frothing over.

Really, I have no business looking. I need to save every penny I have for my move next week.

But check out what's new! Maybe one of you lot will find something you fancy.....


WHAT'S NEW AT NASTY GAL

Unf. Look at those blouses.

---------

Lot, I've missed you.

My life is changing so fast and I feel like now's the time for an update.

For those of you who have loyally checked in with my blog, I apologize for my inactivity. I've finally finished classes for the summer, which now gives me plenty of time to stop in and write about my life and muses. I've become a bit of a Tumblr addict lately, but as far as sharing my adventures and thoughts, I've waited to post them here.

As crazy as it is to announce, I'm officially moving to the Golden State in 2 and a half weeks. The boy in question is coming along too. Who knew?
After my visit to California in April, I've been looking forward to this and trying to prep myself, but to be honest I've never felt more unprepared in all my life. I don't know how to feel or where to start. I'll be calling San Diego my home in a few short weeks and although I've been contemplating and planning this move for over a year now, it's just now dawning on me that I'm actually, truly, 100% moving to California and leaving Washington! It's bittersweet.

I had an opportunity to move to Seattle earlier in the year. I could have easily gone through with it, but I had to ask myself: "What's going to make me happy?" Washington is beautiful, but the NW coastal climate is gloomy, mossy, and wet. I'm from the dry, hot Eastern side of WA and I'd give anything to move back over there, but I don't have any friends or family there anymore. I'm at a place in my life where I need to make decisions based on what's best for me, regardless of what anyone else says or thinks. When I asked myself what's going to make me happy, I realized that I'm at my happiest when I'm in the sun. Washington is my home state and I'll always be connected to it, but I've been given a chance to try something new with my life and despite the uncertainties, I feel like San Diego is the right decision for me right now. It's time to get out of this dreary, rain-drenched existence and dive into the southwest. I'm extremely pumped to get out on my own, but I've never done anything like this before. It's a bit sad to say goodbye to my mom and my dog. It's going to be an internal hardship that I'll have to deal with when the time comes. But I'm ready to stand on my own two feet and face the world head on.

Good times are definitely on their way.

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

There’s a feeling that’s been brewing inside me that I can almost taste....The feeling of reassurance. That no matter how rough things might get, everything will still be okay. The world is mine for the taking if I believe enough in myself.

I will be somebody. I already am somebody. No matter where I end up, who I end up with, or what I end up doing for a living, what matters is who I am inside and the way I see the world around me. I can either take the good things and mold them into my life, or I can take the bad things. And I choose the good things.

Never lose faith in yourself or the good things, because when something bad arises, something good is bound to be chasing right behind it.

There is so much that you should want for yourself.
I want to continue with school and become someone. But I also want to live.

I want to see and do all the things that I’ve dreamt of.

I want to be surrounded by people who like me; good friends.

I want to listen to thunderstorms.

I want to feel the sun.

I want to lay under the stars in the desert.

I want to stand barefoot in the red dirt at top of the Grand Canyon.

I want to write and discover new music.

I want to find what inspires me....and encourage everyone to do the same: To spread your arms out towards the sky and promise yourself the world. Even if what you promise seems impossible. Put faith into the notion that nothing is impossible.

This world has so much to offer. If you can just find it in yourself to reach out and grab it.

Maybe fate exists and maybe it doesn’t, but I believe that you make your life what it is.

So yes, you can wallow in despair and feel trapped by bills and unhappy work environments or people, or you can choose not to wallow: To chase after whatever makes you happy and not let anyone or anything stand in your way.
Because life is short and life is beautiful. And so many people decide not to see it; decide to live in self-loathing. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
There’s no rule that says you have to be miserable. You have the power to change your life; to change your future. And it all starts with how you view the things around you.
You can be mad at the world if you want, but why would you want to? Don’t waste the short time that you have here. Take advantage of it!

Swear your promises to the sky and keep them for yourself. And when you see a shooting star, don’t wish for money or fame. Wish to be happy! That’s the best thing anyone can ever want for themselves.

That’s what I want for myself. And that’s what I hope to find, out there somewhere.

I hope you try to find it too.

x

I woke up stronger than ever. 
Driven by big waves of fire. 
To run and yell all the way. 
Nothing can hurt me today. 
The world is waiting. 
Just waiting, just waiting.

M83 - Steve McQueen