So I live in California. {I know. I know. You know. And you are frustrated with how long it is taking for me to come to the realization.}

You probably know this too but I’m going to say it anyway. There are a lot of cool things to do in California. And about every day or so I hear myself saying, “I want to go there. I want to do that. I want to see that.” So I decided it was time to start what I’m calling “My Oh-S0-Ambitious California Bucket List.”

Here’s what I have got so far.

The amusement park list.

Disneyland
California Adventure
Knottsberry Farms
Universal Studios
Six Flags Magic Mountain

The night-out list. 

Watch Improv at Groundlings
See a Show at Hotel Cafe {preferably to see Joshua Radin and/or Cary Brothers}
Movie at El Capitan
Concert at the Hollywood Bowl
Grauman’s Chinese Theatre

The museum list. 

Getty Museums
MOCA
LACMA

The daytrip list.

Beverly Hills
San Diego
Malibu
Venice
Santa Monica

The weekend getaway list.

San Francisco
Santa Barbara
Palm Springs
Santa Ynez Valley with a meal at Cold Spring Tavern
Big Bear and/or Mammoth
Hurst Castle

And of course, the food list.

Organic Eats at Food Lab in Melrose
Italian Food at Girasole in Larchmont
Sausage at Wurstkuche
Noodles at Orochon Ramen
Waffles at Bruxi
French Dip at Philippe’s {because Jeremiah said I had to}

But I need your help.

What am I missing? What are the other California must-sees and must-dos? 

I said my last goodbye and pulled out of Nashville eight days ago. And it still hasn’t hit me that this isn’t some supped up vacation.

I have been in Orange County since Wednesday, but haven’t even begun to get settled. {I know what you are thinking. I should be settled by now. I’ve had days. And you’ve seen my twitter stream and are well aware that I have been running around Southern California footloose and fancy free. But don’t judge me, it’s difficult to get settled when your stuff, and your car, are on a semi-truck somewhere between here and there.} Instead for the last week, I have been crashing with friends and living what I’ve deemed “the surreal life.”

My friend Allison flew down from San Francisco and we had a wonderful couple of days exploring Orange County. We strolled through Newport and Laguna. We ventured out into Newport’s Back Bay on standup paddle boards. {No, I didn’t fall in. Well, I didn’t fall completely in.} We made our way down to Dana Point to have a cocktail al fresco at the Ritz Carlton. {The view and the ambiance was definitely worth the extra $5 I paid for my drink.} We ate fish tacos and poke at Bear Flag Fish Company. And we hung out with a host of welcoming Californians.

Yesterday, Allison flew home and I caught my first service at Mariner’s Church. While on the outside Mariner’s looks and feels so different from Cross Point, I love the heart of the church. Like Cross Point, they believe that real life transformation happens in community and so they make it a top priority. I’m really looking forward to getting rooted there.

All my loot should arrive sometime later this week and I’ll be ready to get to work. Truth be told, living “the surreal life” has been nice, but I cannot wait to sleep in my own bed, start my new job, and begin establishing a few healthy routines.

What have you been up to this Labor Day weekend?

The Moving Edition

Tomorrow morning I get on an American Airlines flight and head to Orange County to begin my new adventure. I am thankful that I will be greeted by a few familiar faces, that I have found a lovely place to lay my head {once my bed and all my stuff make their way}, and that I have a job that is sure to keep me quite busy.

Here is a quick list of things I have learned as I work my way through this transition:

1. I am terrible at goodbyes. Terrible. For the last two weeks, I have struggled to be present with some of my closest friends, to not allow myself to be distracted by the impending cross-country move, and it has been immensely difficult. How do you say goodbye to friends and mentors who have supported and championed you along the way? How do you leave a church that renewed your faith? How do walk away from families who have loved on you when you weren’t in a place to love yourself? Words don’t suffice. Finally Sunday after church and lunch, I got in my car, turned up the radio, pulled out of town and began to process through everything I was thinking and feeling.

2. Emotions are complicated. When we sit down and start sorting through what we are really feeling, we realize that the joy is right there with the grief, and the hope is right there with the fear. We need to give ourselves some time and grace to untangle them so that each is given the proper acknowledgment.

3. The world we exist in will naturally evolve in our absence. I realized this after making my last big move four years ago. Until that time, I operated under the freakishly naive assumption that my previous life would exist for me to step back in to whenever it was convenient for me. Not the case. I will change. My friends will change. My world will change. My friendships will change. Their friendships will change. Their world will change. I will never be able to go back and step into the same exact role I have previously played. But I will always be able to go back and meet everyone where they are.

4. As much as we try to invision our future, we have no idea what God has in store for us. Remember in January when I wrote this, I had NO IDEA {not even an inkling} that God would be preparing me for a move where I would do life day-in-day-out with these friends. I don’t think I can say it better than I said it then.

As hard as I try, as creatively as dream, I can not even begin to imagine what God has in store for me tomorrow, next week, or next year.

I know that there will be strangers who become friends, and friends who will become strangers. I know that there will be sadness and joy, love and heartbreak, death and new life. But I can’t begin to imagine the possibility that is in store.

So, here’s to 2011 and to a God who is weaving together a beautiful story that is simply and wonderfully unfathomable!

5. Road trips are for indulgences. And the ultimate indulgence de jour is the Nutter Butter Blizzard from Dairy Queen. I know that this seems a little out of place here but if you takeaway anything from this post, takeaway this…you need to indulge in a Cool Treat next time you pass a DQ. Life is too short not to.

What have you been learning lately?

PS – See you tomorrow California. Nashville, I miss you already! Thank you for being so incredibly wonderful to me.

The movers got here this morning and my stuff is being loaded on a truck to make its way to California. It all feels surreal. The last meals at all my favorite Nashville haunts, the lingering goodbyes, and the talk of a new job, a new life, in a faraway land.

Surreal.

As I try to make sense of it all, I keep thinking about the strange things that Californians say and wonder if someday soon these words and phrases will slip out of my mouth…

I am kind of sick of In-N-Out. Can we eat something else?

That earthquake was nothing. It was only a 5.2.

Be careful on the roads. It’s raining outside.

It’s freezing outside. {said in the winter when it hits 50}

It’s really hot and humid today. {said in the summer when it hits the upper 80s}

That wave was gnarly. {I am still not sure what gnarly means.  And is it good or bad?}

What should we do this weekend? Go to Disneyland? LA? San Diego?

What other strange things have you heard Californians say?

To say I was raised among avid travelers is an understatement.

Everyone in my family was born with a major case of wanderlust and a passport in hand.

As a case in point, my nieces (the youngest of which is two) are about to make their second international trip. (I know, my sister, brother-in-law, and his parents are very, very brave souls.)

So as an “avid traveler” and our official planner, my father begins investigating where we should go any time a holiday approaches. No holiday is too short (President’s Day, 4th of July, New Year’s), or too sacred (Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving), for us to stay home.

This Thanksgiving I’m heading with Mom, Dad, “Honey” (my grandma), and the Wilburs (family friends) to California. Pebble Beach to be exact. I leave a week from today and return the following Monday. I can’t wait. Turkey, stuffing, sand, and surf…what could be better?

It is not your traditional Thanksgiving but I am thankful any way. And isn’t that what it is all about?

What are your Thanksgiving plans? Do you have any Thanksgiving traditions?

Oh, and please let me know if you have been to Pebble Beach and have suggestions on things to do and places to eat.