Driving across country & my first week in LA...

Hey guys and gals!! I hope this finds you all well. Its about 10:30pm Saturday night and this is my first official post from LA!! I've been in town a week tomorrow and it has proved to be quite eventful already. But first things first....I need to start at the beginning with my road trip across the country....buckle up and come along :)

So, last Friday the 14th me and my mom (with help from my dad) packed up my car and headed for the west coast. We had planned on leaving about noon, but my mom's meeting ran late so it was about 1:30-2ish before we finally got on the road. After a tearful goodbye with my Dad and my dog I pulled myself together and started to back down the driveway, but before I could pull out my mom stopped me and insisted we take a picture...here it is....yes, like I said, I had been crying.



Day 1:
Ok, so off we went with a goal of driving about 10 hours. We hadn't decided on where to stop or booked a hotel because we weren't sure how we would be feeling or when we would want to stop. The first part of the drive was pretty boring to me because it is one that I've made quite a bit. I-20 towards Atlanta has got to be one of the most boring stretches of freeway I know.
That wouldn't have been bad except that after about and hour and a half of driving there was a torrential downpour that continued for the next two hours tapering on and off as we got into Atlanta. And, because of our late departure time we got caught smack in the middle of Friday Atlanta traffic...oh joy! Luckily, the patience fairy had sprinkled her dust on me that day and I didn't get too annoyed or stressed out about it hahaha. Not long after clearing Atlanta traffic we stopped at Cracker Barrel for dinner and got recharged for more driving. At that point my mom got in the drivers seat and I pulled out my trusty macbook and starting watching my season 3 The Office dvds. It was a wonderful distraction for a couple hours and made the time go by very quickly! I also put my new iphone to use and surfed the net for a bit and even chatted on IM with a couple friends...not too shabby! My mom said she wasn't tired and kept driving until about midnight when we decided to call it a day in Jackson, MS. We used our handy GPS to find a hotel and were soon tucked warmly under the covers at the Holiday Inn Express!

Day 2:
Saturday morning we woke up about 8:30 and got ready and went to eat breakfast. We talked to the hotel manager when checking out and he told us we should be able to make it to El Paso that day. I looked it up on the GPS and it said 1,038 miles and about 15 hours....I chuckled to myself thinking surely we wouldn't, but nevertheless we would try! After grabbing a Starbucks we were back on the road headed toward Louisiana! I drove first again and enjoyed the scenery a lot more on this stretch of road. We were still on I-20 but it was an area I had never driven on before so that at least made it more interesting, as did the extremely bumpy ride provided courtesy crappy roads. Here are few pictures from MS & LA...


leaving the hotel!


Mississippi River


I thought we were far away from Columbia?! hmmm....


Oh, I-20....someone needs to repair you!

So, I continued driving for a few hours until it was time to stop and get gas. Then my mom took over and we drove thru what-a-burger and got something to eat...yum. Shortly after she took over we crossed into Texas. I knew Texas would be our final destination for the day, but we had to trek all the way across it first. After hours upon hours of driving and stopping to get gas we got through Dallas and Abilene and decided to stop for dinner at a Mexican restaurant in Sweetwater. We didn't stay long before we were back on the road....it was about 8pm and we were still a long way from El Paso, but my mom said she was wide awake and ready to keep going so we went on. About 1am we pulled into El Paso and got a hotel for the night...I was surprised we made....over 15 hours in the car that day, but it was great news because it meant we could sleep in a little and that it would only be 10 more hours until LA!

Day 3 (the final haul):
The trip was going by much faster than I thought it would. I mean obviously I had been in a car for 2 full days already, but I was having a great time with my mom and getting to see lots of places I had never seen before. El Paso (and Texas for that matter) was totally new to me as was New Mexico! I've been to Arizona before (Grand Canyon) and California (LA, of course) but driving across it is totally different! I saw some of the most amazing scenery I've ever seen on our last day of driving. It was by far my favorite day of our trip!! For hours and hours I got to stare at beautiful mountains on either side of me and we even got caught in a storm and had to pull over for a few minutes! It was pretty crazy but made the trip more interesting for sure!
By mid-afternoon we had reached Phoenix and started seeing signs for LA! I was thrilled and could hardly believe that we were that close! Around 6 we crossed the California border and stopped to eat dinner...we would have kept going but the sun was brutal! I don't recommend driving into the west at sunset-YIKES! The last stretch of the trip was probably my least favorite because it just seemed to drag on FOREVER. I think the fact that we were 3 hours from LA and the time changes were starting to catch up with us were not a good combination. I was driving and I kept thinking in just 30 minutes we'll be there and then it was another hour before we hit the outskirts of the city. And in true LA fashion there was even freaking traffic on I-10 at 10:30 at night. We finally made it to a hotel about 11:30 and called it a night. I went to bed still kind of shocked that I was actually here and with my car and with all my stuff....surreal to say the least! Here are some pictures from the last day of driving...


El Paso


Welcome to New Mexico!










crazy storm!









Since arriving in LA things have been up and down with either lots to do or lots of sitting around and waiting on someone else to call me back, etc. Me and my mom went apartment hunting on Monday with no luck, but then had an awesome dinner at a cute little Italian restaurant in Hermose Beach with my friend Erin. Erin is a friend of a friend who is also from SC and has lived in LA for almost 2 years. She has graciously let me stay with her at her apartment in Redondo Beach this week and has been an absolute lifesaver!!!

Tuesday morning me and my mom got up at the crack of dawn to brave LA traffic to go look at an apartment in Sherman Oaks. The manager had called the night before when we were at dinner and said we could come see it at 8:30 the next morning. Monday morning traffic in LA is insane to say the least, but I was glad to get some practice at it hahaha. So, we arrive at the place and it is actually OK and SAFE....thank God! I take an application from the lady and promise to return it to her asap! She said she would be there the next day so I could bring it then- perfect! OMG, I still can't believe I'm paying $1400 in rent for a small 2 bedroom apartment HA! Anyway, after that we headed back to the hotel and checked out so I could take my mom to the airport. I was really sad to see her go- she has helped me soooooo much and I owe her a ton. I couldn't believe I was actually going to be in LA alone...it set it in and I was excited, scared, sad and nervous all at the same time. We had a tearful goodbye and a long hug and then she was off! I spent the rest of the afternoon at a Starbucks working on the apartment application and then went to Hollywood for a late lunch. I sat outside at California Pizza Kitchen at Hollywood and Highland and just kind of took everything in. I couldn't believe I was sitting there staring at the Hollywood sign...I was finally here and it felt great...I was at peace. I made a few phone calls to friends back east to let them know I had arrived safely and then headed back to Redondo Beach to meet Erin at her apartment.
The apartment is where I've been most of the week except when I've been meeting the apartment manager in Sherman Oaks. I love both of the areas and wish the beach wasn't so far from where I'm going to be living! Oh well, that is what the car is for, right?! :) I especially can't wait to go back to Manhattan Beach...that town is so amazing and beautiful....I just fell in love.
So many cute restaurants and shops and of course VERY expensive which as we know is just my taste hahaha!!


Well, I know there has been more that has gone on this week, but honestly I'm exhausted and I've got to get some sleep. I've been waiting on the apartment manager to call me back all day to let me know if our credit checks/applications were okay and she never did. We're supposed to meet tomorrow morning to sign the lease if all is well so say a prayer for that! I'm picking Laura up at the airport at 12:30 tomorrow and am SO excited to see her!!! This will all be much easier with my fellow red-headed partner in crime!! We've got to go buy beds or an air mattress so we will even have somewhere to sleep IF we get in the apartment tomorrow....man, this is crazy, but I'm having a blast and I'm sure it will all work out in time!
I'm quickly adapting to the laid back, patient nature of these Californians!

Ok, I'm off to bed! Sorry for such a long post, but there was a lot to cover! If you want to see a full slideshow of all the pictures I took since I left SC and while here then check out my myspace page www.myspace.com/brandiroe . Until next time......take care & enjoy your Sunday!! I'll leave you with this picture of Redondo Beach...



xoxo,
Brandi

a week of firsts, lasts, and lots of goodbyes...

Whew...that is how I feel right now. It is about 11pm on Thursday night and I think I finally have everything ready for my move tomorrow. Me and my Dad just finished packing my car about 30 minutes ago and to my surprise I actually had a little space left over, which is great because my mom needs a place for her suitcase! I also have a few odds and ends to add tomorrow, but they are all small so no worries there!

I must admit, I always wondered if I would see this day actually come. I started thinking about moving to LA last November when I went to a music convention out there. After a few more months of thinking and not being happy where I was in my life I decided I needed a change and started to think about what that change would be. After a lot of thoughtful consideration I decided in March that I wanted to move to LA and attend Musicians Institute that coming fall. It has been about six months since I made that decision and it has gone by incredibly fast. Much like this week the past few months have been an emotional roller coaster...I've been incredibly excited and then doubtful and fearful, but I'm happy to say that I have learned to take things one day at a time and I've made it to the first step- the move!

With that in mind I thought I would share some pictures that would better give you guys an idea of what my week of packing has looked like! It was quite a task to figure out how to pack my life up in the back of my car hahaha!

My room in the middle of organizing/packing last Saturday...
BEFORE









This is my room AFTER packing up almost everything...










I also spent a lot of time at work this week wrapping up things and packing up things. It was my last time to pay bills, do payroll, do billing, etc. etc. As I filed through 4 years worth of stuff in my desk, I was actually a little bit sad. Even though "office" work is not fulfilling to me and not what I want to do forever, my job was really special because I got to work with my parents and help build our company. I was also given a lot of responsibility and over the years have learned so much about the business world and how to run business. This may not have been my dream job, but the knowledge and experience I gained while employed there will definitely serve me well the rest of my life. I have no doubt about that. I was also sad because I truly love the women I work with in my office- they are so sweet and encouraging to me and I'm going to miss their smiling faces everyday! Like most things this week- leaving was bittersweet.
Here are a few final pictures I took of my office this week...





Another goodbye I had to say today was to my personal trainer, Pam. I started working with her in May and have had a wonderful time working with her and getting to know her. I've had trainers before, but never like this. Not only is she amazing at what she does and explains it all to you fitness/nutrition wise, but she is just a very caring person who was always interested in me and my life. She helped me reach so many goals in such a short time, and I am truly grateful for her. She is one in a million and I hope one day I get the chance to work with her again!
We couldn't help getting sad and crying today when I had to leave. I am used to seeing her 3 times a week so it is going to be quite an adjustment without her. Thanks for everything Pam :)

Of course the saddest part of leaving is saying goodbye to family and friends...and if you're me, your dog! I cannot tell you how many times in the past few days I have just started crying when I think about having to leave her. It is supposed to only be for 2 months until I get settled and into an apartment, but it is still really hard. If you're not a dog person it may be hard to understand, but Sadie (my weimaraner) is my heart and has been a source of unconditional love to me for 2 years. I've never been away from her for more than a week so this is going to be quite a challenge. I know my parents will take good care of her for me, but I'm going to miss her greeting me at the door and cuddling with me at night. They say dogs can sense change and she has definitely known something was up this week with all the packing going on. She has stuck to me like glue, which makes it even harder to leave her. Just look at her laying here as if to say
"please don't go, mom"


I won't lie, I'm crying as I write this..........ok, I'm good...moving on...

I also had dinner with my family tonight for one last time before I leave....my mom, dad, sister and her husband all came. It was fun as it always is when the 5 of us get together. They have all been incredibly supportive of me and my dreams and I cannot thank them for that enough.
My mom, in particular has sacrificed so much for whether it be time or money and I am so thankful that she will be making this trip with me. I absolutely could not do this without her!!

One last goodbye I will be saying is to my home on the lake...it is so peaceful here and I LOVE it.
I'm going to miss the sunsets, sitting on the dock with a good book and riding on the boat and much much more. Here are a couple pics from my backyard...






I thought I would end this blog with my firsts for the week which I think are probably pretty obvious! This will be the first time I have DRIVEN across the entire country and that I have lived in California! We are planning to leave tomorrow at lunchtime and drive about 11-12 hours to Little Rock, Arkansas. The next day we plan to drive about 10 hours and get into New Mexico (I can't remember the name of the town) and then Sunday we plan to drive another 11-12 and get to Arizona. This will leave us with a few hours left to go Monday to get to LA.
We're hoping to be there by lunchtime on Monday as long as there isn't a major traffic jam and the car stays in one piece (crosses fingers!). I got an oil change today though and had the car cleaned up so I think we'll be good to go!

Well, I guess that is about it...sorry for such a long blog, but as you can probably tell I'm a little scatterbrained from a crazy week!! I'm really excited to leave tomorrow and start this new journey and chapter of my life! I'll be sure to keep you all updated along the way!
Have a great weekend and I'll see you again when I'm on the left coast :)



xoxo,

brandi


PS- I have updated my blog settings so that everyone can comment on my blogs and not just registered users! comment away :)

First Blog!

Hey everyone! It's about 11pm on Wednesday night and I finally got around to setting up my new blog. Many of you asked me to start one to keep you up to date with everything going on in LA so this is it. It's not much now, but hopefully I'll get around to working on it some more soon! Just wanted to let you all know that it was here and I will be adding stuff from here on out. The latest update I have for is that I'll be leaving for LA next Friday the 14th! I thought I was going to have another week, but some things came up with my Mom's schedule and if I want to have a riding partner for 2,400 miles then I'm going when she can! According to google maps it will take us 35 hours to get there so we're shooting for driving it in 3 days. In a way I'm looking forward to the drive because I'll get to see all the different and uniquely beautiful landscapes of our country, but on the other hand it is 3 straight days in a car hahaha.

In other news this is my last full week of work and it has been insane. I'm planning on working some next week, but between packing and getting ready to leave I know I won't be able to be there 8-5 everday. My Dad and our office manager, Angie are in Chicago right now for training so it's just me and our new receptionist, Genie the rest of this week. Let me tell you- trying to "finish" your job of over 4 years and wrap things up while trying to train and help a new employee with her tasks is no easy thing! It is clear that I'm going to need a ton of patience this week! But on the bright side- only 2 more days this week!
It is so weird to think I won't be going back there after next week...I don't think it will hit me until we're driving across the country! Ahh, so exciting!

To wrap things up I must let everyone know that I purchased an iphone tonight! I'm really excited about it because it just looks amazing, but BONUS they dropped the prices big time (thanks for the tip, Aldo!). It was $399 for the 8GB! As Kevin would say "niiiice". It should be arriving in the next few days and I can't wait to play around with it!

Alright guys, I guess that is it for this evening. I'm going to turn in! I hope everyone is doing great and enjoying their short work/school week!! Take care!

xoxo,

Brandi