8:25am, pacific standard time, apartment in Aliso Viejo, California, USA, Saturday morning, January 28, 2023. My daughter has her first baseball game this morning. In preparation, we went to the ballfields after school and played catch. She has a good arm and isn’t too bad at catching. Impressive, considering it was her first time using a glove. I am nervous for her but, excited as well. She is athletic and wants to succeed. If she sticks with it she will have fun and be a good player.
Tag: california
My nephew and age 31
6:17pm, pacific standard time, hotel in Palm Desert, California, USA, Thursday evening, January 26, 2023. Today is my nephew’s 31st birthday. That’s significant because twenty years ago, when I turned 31, we lived close to his family in Valencia. In between jobs, I spent afternoons hanging out with him, doing homework, shooting hoops, and shuttling him to various activities. I look back fondly on those weeks. It was a rare opportunity, before full adulthood, to be carefree and spend quality time with a relative I might otherwise not have known. It was also that age, when shortly thereafter, I took the Utah hospice chaplain job. I consider that period the happiest of my life. Realizing he is now the same age brings back good memories. He’s been through a rough couple of years lately. For the occasion of his birthday, I hope he finds his “Utah” soon. And gets to enjoy a little happiness in his life as well.
Kind of a drag
6:09pm, pacific standard time, hotel in Palm Desert, California, USA, Wednesday night, January 24, 2023. I did not have any energy today. Even an extra cup of coffee this morning didn’t make a difference. From the moment I walked in the office nothing engaged my attention. I guess some days are like that; you just don’t find momentum and time drags on. By 11am I was counting minutes on my notepad. Hopefully tomorrow is a little better. Life is no fun just enduring.
Be here for a while
6:02pm, pacific standard time, hotel in Palm Desert, California, USA, Tuesday night, January 24, 2023. Spent most of the day cleaning up HR files. There are so many back office things that haven’t been touched in the past two years. I am finally getting a handle on the most egregious. The site is really starting to come around; new staff, new attitude. I believe it is going to be a successful year. Which is good because the recruiter announced on a team call today she is focusing on “critical needs” in the region. The Director position in Palm Desert isn’t one of them. I am pretty sure I am going to be here for a while.
Made it to palm desert, January 23, 2023
6:03pm, pacific standard time, hotel in Palm Desert, California, USA, Monday evening, January 23, 2023. Drove in from Arizona this afternoon. The wind was strong, especially on the California side of the border. Many times larger trucks swerved uncontrollably. Coupled with blowing dust the trip was far from relaxing. I made it to the office at 3:30pm and did some work before grabbing dinner and checking in to the hotel. Now I just got off the phone with mom. I am going to watch television and read before turning in for the night.
Profitability and success
7:33pm, pacific standard time, hotel in Palm Desert, California, USA, Wednesday night, January 19, 2023. Found out today the potential director candidate withdrew for consideration this morning so, back to square one. She was from the Midwest, which means she probably wouldn’t have stayed long any way. I don’t mind sticking around a couple more months. The site is finally rounding into shape after many weeks of dysfunction. Now I get to see this through. We survived the culture change, now comes profitability and success. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?
January 17, 2023
6:18pm, pacific standard time, hotel in Palm Desert, California, USA, Tuesday evening, January 17, 2023. My time in Palm Desert could be winding down. A potential candidate is visiting the site next week. I will show her around and go over job duties. If things go well she could be in place by the end of February. That means I would be on to my next assignment, location to be determined. There are a few open positions but, it sounds like they have strong applicants as well. I am not too worried. I am sure there is a need for me somewhere. On a side note; my ordination into Christian ministry was 24 years ago today. Hard to believe I ever lived that life. So much has changed in the past two decades.
Dana Point, California redux
5:58pm, pacific standard time, hotel in Palm Desert, California, USA, Monday evening, January 16, 2023. I have mixed feelings about moving back to Dana Point. On one hand, it is the most home like place I know in the world, having lived there for eleven years. On the other hand, the time there wasn’t always great. Often I struggled to justify the stress it took to be a resident, both financially and emotionally. When I packed up the condo two years ago and moved to Arizona I made peace with goodbye. I knew it was time for change. Of course the process was easier with my daughter and her mom still living in the area. I enjoyed visiting Dana Point on weekends without the baggage of citizenship. Now that I am moving back I worry about falling into old thought patterns. Arizona was good for me. I became a newer, better version of myself. I want to continue the process of evolving. I guess time will tell if Dana Point redux promotes or hinders my journey of personal growth.
Sunday, January 15, 2023 in Orange County, California
4:46pm, pacific standard time, apartment in Aliso Viejo, California, USA, Sunday afternoon, January 15, 2023. My daughter, her friend and her mom joined me for breakfast with my cousin and her family in Dana Point this morning. We met them at the harbor because they were coming from San Clemente. Afterwards, we went to the beach to build sand castles and continue our visit. Even though the sky we still managed to have a good time. This afternoon I drove to San Juan, signed the lease on my new apartment and paid the deposit. I will get the keys middle of next month and move my stuff back from Arizona a little later. Now we are relaxing and cooking dinner before the week begins tomorrow.
Back to Dana Point
5:21pm, pacific standard time, apartment in Aliso Viejo, California, USA, Saturday night, January 14, 2023. Saw two more properties today and submitted an application for the first. I like where the apartment is in Dana Point and feel the owner is very nice. Now that a decision has been made I feel relieved. I did not realize the amount of stress associated with not knowing where I would live the rest of the year. On Monday I will submit a deposit and sign the lease and get the keys. The unit won’t be vacant until mid—February but that works for me. It will be nice to be back to Orange County in general and Dana Point specifically.
mikemeyer949 