It has been a busy few months here in Los Angeles so far.  I think that this has in some way postponed a lot of the homesickness I fully expected to feel.  There has definitely been moments, but those have been quickly put on hold to concentrate on work.  Over the last week, however, it has really begun to sink in that I really live here, and how far away many of my friends are.  Living in LA without a car is challenging and its been difficult to find ways to interact with people outside of the USC community.

Highlights of the first few months:

• Amazing food discoveries (Like the biggest burrito that I’ve ever seen at a restaurant…and it not being the biggest in LA)
• Diversity (It’s kinda cool to hear people talk in languages other than English…even though I don’t understand it)
• The Music Calendar (there is so much going on…its really just a matter of time and money…not whether something is actually happening)
• Running into old friends at a conference for work in San Francisco that I wasn’t sure I wanted to go to initially…but so glad I went to in the end (and seeing a friend from Eugene while I was there as well).
• Sleeping under the stars on the beach at our Fall Retreat in Oceanside, CA (and the fairly warm ocean water)

Lowlights of the first few months:

• My diet has been horrible…way to much fast food and eating out in general (and not finding a good grocery store nearby with organic/local food)
• Adjusting to much longer hours and different sleep schedules
• Having a hard time finding a “me” outside of USC
• The Ducks loosing on the second to last play of the game to Cal while surrounded by USC fans.