the holiday season

Well, the past few weeks have been a bit of a whirlwind.  The holiday season began, and with that comes all sorts of gift-buying madness and a generally more amped-up atmosphere everywhere you go.  Right around the same time, my work life suddenly became existent again in a big way.  I had been hunting and applying for jobs for the past couple of months with no real results.  Then, over the course of a week, I went from having no job to having three job offers.  

First, I got offered a part-time, seasonal sales position with Crate and Barrel in Beverly Hills.  A few days later, I got offered another part-time, seasonal sales position with a cosmetics company called "Lush", which happens to be right down the street from Crate and Barrel.  I figured since they were both part-time positions, that I could probably handle both and accepted. Then, a day or two later I got offered a full-time, permanent position with a fitness shoe store in Brentwood-when it rains, it pours.

In the end, I decided that I was really not feeling the atmospheres of the shoe store and the cosmetics store, and took a risk by declining both and deciding to see what happens with Crate and Barrel.  I am now in my second week of working with Crate and Barrel, and even though the job was supposed to be part-time, I am scheduled to work 40-hour weeks through the holiday.  Even though losing all that time to myself and freedom to do what I want has definitely been an adjustment, I am surprised by how much I am really enjoying working at Crate and Barrel.  I have  the most awesome co-workers and bosses and the day goes by pretty quickly.  One of the hardest changes is that I am definitely having a hard time fitting in gym time.  For the past six to nine months I have been able to spend 8-10 hours a week in the gym and take time to prepare fresh, healthy meals.  I can still cook for myself and stay with the healthy diet as long as I plan it out each week, but the gym time is definitely getting scaled back, at least until I adjust to the work schedule.

Because the position at Crate and Barrel is seasonal, there is no guarantee that they will keep me on past January or February.  Most of their employees were hired on as seasonal staff and were offered permanent positions after the season ended, but with the current state of the economy, they can't promise me that there will be a position available.

Regardless, I am enjoying it for now, and gaining some good experience as well as a new reference for the resume.  In the meantime, I just need to make it through the holiday season and then we'll see what happens after that.

New Moon Premiere Tonight part 2

The premiere was great!  We went to happy hour at Palomino first and then wandered over to the red carpet.  It was definitely a madhouse, but we managed to push our way into the crowd and we were about 4 people away from the barricades where the stars were walking by and signing autographs.  My arms are definitely worn out from holding my camera up above my head for two hours, but I got tons of pics--check out my flickr site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ashleyjberry/

...i already have tickets to see the movie on Saturday--can't wait!

New Moon Premiere Tonight

I can remember, after seeing Twilight in the theater last December, thinking that it was going to be so hard to wait for the next movie.  Well, it has been almost a year since Twilight hit theaters and the time has finally come for the next episode: "New Moon".  

Living in LA definitely gives the whole event a more immediate impact because the US premiere is happening tonight in Westwood just minutes away from my house.  For the past week, the buzz has been building as people from all over the world have come to take part in the event.  I have seen many premieres come and go through Westwood, but I have never seen anything like this.  Last Thursday, people started lining up on the sidewalks of Westwood.  It wasn't clear what they were lining up for exactly...tickets to an advanced screening? entrance to the premiere event (pretty unheard of) ?  It must be something really spectacular because the line stretched for about 8 or 9 city blocks and people were not leaving.  Since Thursday, this line of Twilight-crazy fans has been camped out in Westwood with lawn chairs and sleeping bags and New Moon posters.  

I finally rolled down my window to ask what they were waiting for one day when I was driving by.  The woman responded, "For the New Moon premiere," as though I was crazy to not be getting in line, too.  I could not believe it.  I have never seen people lining up just to view a premiere event.  These people have been living on a sidewalk for days, just to hopefully catch a glimpse of the stars as they walk from their limos down the red carpet to the movie theater!

Well, tonight is the night and my mom and I have decided to go join in on the madness, if only briefly.  We are going to head over to Westwood just before the red carpet event is supposed to begin and I am very interested to see what happens.  I am sure it is going to be crazy and loud and if they let one of those people who have been camped out onto the red carpet or into the premiere, I might just wish that I had slept on the streets of Westwood for the last four nights...maybe...

I'll let you know how it goes, but regardless, you should definitely check out this article on the Twlight fans in Westwood: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-twilight15-2009nov15,0,4909479.story

And another summer ends...

Well not quite yet, but it does seem like this summer has gone by quickly.   I guess they all do.  The past month has just flown by.  I spent two weeks in Arkansas with my aunt and uncle, my cousins and their families, and my grandma.  It was so nice to see everyone and I cannot believe how big the three boys (my cousins kids) have gotten.  They are all so much fun to watch and play with, and even at such young ages it is easy to see their distinct personalities.  Henry is thoughtful and cautious and loves to read/be read to.  Karl is gregarious and adventurous-fearless, well except when it comes to emus.  And even though Kayden is a little small to tell, I think he is going to be very easy-going and affectionate-definitely a charmer.  

I got to do so many fun things while I was visiting my family.  Karin, Karl, Kayden, and I took day trips to Eureka Springs and War Eagle Arkansas.  I hadn't been to Eureka Springs in probably about 15 years and I had forgotten what a cool, little town it is.  One night we had a picnic at Gully Park while a band played and then went to an outdoor movie in the town square in Fayetteville.  I saw 2 movies, "The Proposal" (laugh out loud funny) and "Julie and Julia" (a very sweet and inspiring story) in the theatre and I went to the first baseball game that I've been to since high school.  One of the most unusual things that I did while I was in Arkansas was visiting the Drive Thru Wildlife Safari in Gentry.  I didn't know exactly what to expect on the way there, but I was pretty impressed with the variety of animals.  Basically, you drive through this very large piece of property in your own car and view all sorts of animals from all over the world.  We saw camels, buffalo, emus,  more types of deer than you could ever imagine, zebras, and razorbacks roaming free.  There were also tigers, lions, monkeys and baboons in cages.  The petting zoo section had kangaroos, goats, snakes, and pot-bellied pigs.  I think the coolest thing I saw was the baby kangaroos in their mothers' pouches.  The weirdest was the emus.  Not that they are particularly unusual animals but  something about them is a little, um, off.  I don't blame Karl for being freaked out by them.  My favorite animal, though, was a buffalo that came right up to my window.  There was definitely a connection there and I think it was because we both had orange hair.

When I got back from Arkansas, my brother was visiting from Mississippi.  While he was here, we threw a dinner party and invited some of my mom's old neighbors.  It was definitely fun to have Kris here and I had the pleasure of taking him out on his last night to the The Edison downtown and then to Benito's for late-night mexican food afterwards.

All in all, it's been a really enjoyable summer filled with visits to family, lots of healthy eating and exercise, and the occasional night out on the town.

It is a little bittersweet that two of my friends, who I spent a lot of time with this summer, have both moved out of L.A. for graduate school.  Although I am very happy for both of them as they start their programs, L.A. definitely won't be the same without them.  

Oh well, the summer had to come to an end eventually and now I have excuses to visit the Bay (frequently) and D.C.

I have no idea what this fall in L.A. holds for me but I guess I am going to find out soon enough.

July in Mississippi

Well, it is starting to really feel like summer.  I just got back from visiting my mom's family in Mississippi yesterday.  Although I visited Birmingham just a couple of years ago to see my brother, Kris, graduate from pharmacy school, I had not been to my grandmother's house in about 13 years!  It was definitely nice to see my grandmother, aunts, uncles, and cousins.  Being down south reminded me of how much I miss thunderstorms, being able to wear shorts at night, geckos, and anole lizards. 

On July 4th we had a good southern barbeque all day at my Uncle Billy's house, which is right on the banks of a bayou.  The views from his house are so beautiful and there is all sorts of wildlife to watch, including red-headed woodpeckers and blue herons.  In the evening we went down to the beach and watched fireworks over the Gulf of Mexico.  The most exciting part of the trip was taking my first motorcycle ride.  My brother Kris builds and rides motorcycles in his free time and when he found out that I had never been on a motorcycle he said he would take me.  Right before we set off on our ride, he warned me that riding motorcycles can be addictive and he was definitely right.  He took me out first on a sport bike and then later on his dad's Harley and I really can't decide which I like better, but both rides left me with a grin plastered across my face.  Definitely nothing like it.  

As much as I enjoyed seeing family and the hot and steamy weather, I was glad to get home.  If I lived down there I would weigh 400 lbs. because it seems like 50% of the time we were there we were eating and while the food is delicious, it is definitely not light.  Let's just say I am going to avoid the scale for a little while.

On the trip I decided that my camera does not take very good pictures and I ended up just using my mom's camera the whole time.  They are still down south, taking a road trip from Mississippi to Tennessee, so I won't be able to post pictures on flickr until they get back.  In the meantime, I will have the house to myself, which probably means I will be spending a lot of time on my other newest addiction, online scrabble.  I have moved from beginner to advanced to expert.  By the end of the week I will probably be playing on the master level--watch out!

from the bay to LA

Well, it's official.  After 9 years of living in and loving the Bay Area, I have decided that it is time for a change of scenery.  I have been staying with my parents in Los Angeles for the past month and a half and I have finally decided to make the move.  Although it is a little sad and quite strange to leave the place that has been my home for so many years, I feel like it is the right thing to do at this point in my life.  The Masters degree is on an indefinite hold and I really don't have a clear idea of what is next for me.  I do know that I want to spend some time with my parents and recharge a little bit.  I want to really explore my options before making a decision about how to proceed so that, when I do decide what comes next, it will come from the heart rather than from a place of anxiety.  I feel very blessed to have this opportunity and I hope that this time of reflection and exploration will give way to personal growth and a clearer view of the path that is truly right for me.

Letting Go

Well, life has taken another unexpected turn for me. Upon starting classes I came to the unsettling realization that my heart is absolutely not in school right now. This was is very strange for me, because I have always loved school.  What's even stranger about this is that compared to the amount of schooling I have already completed, the amount of work I would need to do to finish my MA, 2 classes and a thesis, is really almost negligible.  Nonetheless, it would take about a year and a lot of motivation to complete the classes and thesis, and I am just not sure I have it in me at this point.  A year may be a relatively short amount of time when looking back, but if you are really not happy with your circumstances, it could feel painfully long when you're in it.  So, I finally made the decision to stop working on my degree, at least for now.  

I dropped the classes I was enrolled in and I talked to my advisor at school.  He said the as long as I complete all of my degree requirements by January 2014, I can finish my MA in Psychology at JFK University.  That's really quite a long time from now, and I think getting some time and space away from the work will give me a better idea of whether or not it is even the right place to be investing my energy.

So, now that I have decided not to work on school, I am going to try to make a clean break from my life in the bay in order to get a new perspective on what is out there for me.  My mom flew up to the bay on Tuesday and we drove down to LA together yesterday.  I will be staying at my mom and Bill's house for the next few weeks and they have rearranged their house a little bit to create a really nice guest suite.  I will have to post some pictures, but I am already settled in and I think it is going to be really good for me to just spend some time with them and let go of all of the pressure I have been putting on myself to figure out what I am doing with my life.  

I realize that I am pretty lucky in a number of ways.  Most people don't have the luxury of deciding what they really want out of life and particularly out of their careers.  They do what they can to make money and there isn't a whole lot more to it than that.  So the fact that I am even in the position to step back and think about what I really want in life and what kind of career I am most passionate about is really a privilege.  Also, I am so lucky that I have parents who will support me in this endeavor and provide me with a safe haven while I am in this  transition.

I have no idea where all of this is going to take me.  I can't even imagine what my life is going to look like in a month or two.  In the meantime, I am going to try to just sit back, enjoy life, and see what comes my way.

long time, no write

Well, it has been quite some time since I last wrote.  In one way, I feel like I have been in a holding pattern for the past few months and, at the same time, so much has happened.  Ah, the holidays.  I am glad they're over.  Not that they were not fun.  I had my first Las Vegas experience over the Thanksgiving holiday with my parents, sister, and brother.  It was about what I expected except I think it was a little more tame than usual as it was Thanksgiving and the middle of the week.  I will say that the Cirque du Soleil show, "Love", was absolutely incredible.  I don't think I could adequately describe the show because there was so much happening at once that I could barely process it all, but it was so overwhelming that I spontaneously started crying (and I do not cry at live shows).

Thanksgiving brunch at the Bellagio was also overwhelming in a whole different way.  There was every kind of food imaginable from rib eye steak to sushi and the most delicious array of miniature desserts I have ever tasted.  I almost made myself sick on chocolate mousse.

After Thanksgiving, I spent a week in LA with my parents and during that time my stepdad had a pretty serious operation to repair a set of aneurisms he had developed in his abdomen and groins.  Thankfully, he made it through the operation beautifully and shortly thereafter, I returned to the Bay to take part in the craziness that is Christmas shopping.  Somewhere in there I also managed to get completely obsessed with the Twilight series, read all 4 books in one week (that's about 2500 pages, which means I had to force myself to put the books down to eat and sleep), and see the movie in the theatre--twice.  

After I pulled myself out of my Twilight oblivion, I spent the Christmas holiday with my friend and occasional partner-in-crime, Katy Lambe and her boyfriend, Jesse.  We spent some time in the Bay before heading down to be with the Lambe family in Fresno for a few days.  Then, we drove back up to the Bay on Christmas day to join Jesse's family and celebrate his mother's birthday, which, unfortunately for her, is on Christmas day.

New Year's Eve was quite uneventful.  I stayed in and went to bed early.  My sister called me at midnight her time (11pm my time) to wish me a Happy New Year and then I went back to bed until the firecrackers, fog horns, and screaming from neighbors woke me up at midnight.  I listened to the rukcus for a little while and then went back to bed.

All in all the holiday season went by without too much madness and I really enjoyed Vegas, Fresno, and seeing my family and the Lambes.  

Since the start of the new year, i have been focused on working out and eating as healthily as possible (hey, we all need a little bit of the really sinful stuff every so often).  I am now officially registered for all of my classes, which start the week of January 19th.  I am taking three classes, 1 graduate seminar in the psychology department at UC Berkeley and 2 graduate courses at a school in San Francisco called the California Institute of Integral Studies ("CIIS").  I will also start working on my Master's Thesis which, I have to admit, is a little intimidating, but I am doing my best to mentally prep myself.  If I stay on track, I could theoretically graduate in September.  My degree will be titled: Masters of Arts in Psychology and East-West Studies.  And, yes, I did make that up.