So Many Changes!

So I quit my job last Friday because I accepted a new one at McCann. I can never seem to just tackle one major life change at a time. I get married, I get a new job. I buy a new house and move, I get a new job. I'm really excited about my new job. The people seem really great and excited to be there. An increase in pay is always welcome, particularly when you have a new mortgage and renovation expenses looming in the distance. Decrease in frustration with current job- priceless. I do feel like I'm leaving my teammates in a lurch, but they need to fix the problems and it doesn't seem like they are going to do that any time soon, so the company will just keep losing people.

This past weekend, we went shopping a bought a big dining room table that seats 10. It's massive. We weren't planning on buying a new table, but Renovation Hardware had a really good sale, so we bought it. Kind of a big impulse purchase, I know. We also ended up going to the annual Alameda Peanut Butter Jam. It's a local music festival that had a women's Japanese Taiko Drum troupe, so we invited Show and the Schneiders to join along. We made it for the end of the performance and then Maika and Kaori demonstrated their skills on the Taiko. What was kind of funny is that none of the drummers were Japanese- they were all caucasian. It was still an enjoyable afternoon outside in Alameda hanging out with friends.

Since moving, I am noticing a few things that are different living in Alameda vs. SF. Living in SF, I used to see maybe 4 or 5 kids a day. Living in Alameda, I see dozens of kids everyday. Using public transportation in SF, you never knew when the bus was going to come. I have used the transbay bus 7 times now and it was only late once- 6 minutes. Every other time, it's been like clockwork. Also, I am writing this post as I am on the bus. How cool is that? Internet on a bus? For $3.50 per ride, I can get free internet vs. going to a internet cafe for $10 a day. Living in Alameda, I feel like I have more time after work. Living in SF, I felt like I had no time after work. Now, you might ask, if you have so much more time, then how come you aren't blogging more? Well, I guess that is because we have been doing a lot more stuff for the house. We refinished the hardwood floors, we got a new refrigerator, got internet, got cable, etc. All the things that come with moving. I expect that I'll have a little more time once we settle in a little more. Please ask me if I miss living in SF, but I don't really feel like I have left. I still go in almost everyday for work. I can stay in SF after work if I want to hang out. The bus home can be a little more cumbersome. We went home after dinner on Friday with Michelle and Mike at 9:30 instead of hanging out which is what I think we would have done in the old days. I'm going to bed earlier because I get tired from all the moving stuff and so I am also waking up a little earlier. I guess that's what happens when you move to suburbia.

We have met a few of our neighbors and they all seem to be SO nice. They have come over to introduce themselves and while we knew about Christmas being a big holiday. We were told that Halloween is also big. Apparently, since the street is known for being safe/nice, they bus kids in- so they told us that they ran out of 24 lbs. of candy last year. That's a lot of candy. We still have candy leftover from last year because only 3 kids showed up at our door in SF. They also told us that we have a reputation to live up to- the previous owner used to decorate the house like a haunted house with a spider coming out of the tree! So we have Jamie heading up our planning committee and Show as creative director- should be fun!