and so it begins

Finally.

Today, my new boss emailed me that I'm to arrive into work tomorrow, mid-morning, to begin filling out paperwork and then training with his soon-to-be former assistant. My fingerprint scan has yet to clear, believe it or not, but he went ahead and asked for formal approval to get me started now. He was so nice in his email and asked me if I was okay with that. Oh, but of course. I'm eager to get in there and get started. I want to meet new folks and have new experiences. I know I can do the job and do it very well. I know it will be challenging but exciting in the way new jobs generally are.

I also believe it will work out and be a blessing, but should I be wrong, I've learned in the last seven months that I will survive. This belief alone takes the pressure off and puts me in a frame of mind to succeed for the sheer joy of doing well. Does that make sense?

As for today, I got my final free-for-all out of my system. I started the day off by driving my car all of two blocks north to get an oil change, had breakfast, dressed to ride, picked up my car and drove to Burbank, where I parked on Riverside and took off on Patsy. I had an important errand to run after my ride (will get to that in a minute) so I needed to drive closer to Griffith Park.

New arm "coolers" - they actually work!

Now, yesterday, I forced my rather ample thighs to perform with heavy weights at the gym. Those very same thighs were rather peeved at me this morning, and this made pedaling a chore for sure. But I was determined to ride into Griffith Park and up to the Observatory (to pose), no matter what. To say I suffered is no exaggeration. Stupid legs! I pedaled and tried, even hitting the bike path for a bit to warm up...but no damn good came of it, cause by the time I'd started climbing, my legs were in full mutiny mode. I struggled up the backside of Trash Truck Hill - the easier side!



Once inside the canyons and climbing upward, I rode stronger, not sure why. I guess cause it was warm out at this point, and I was eager to arrive at the Observatory Cafe (proper name alludes me at present). A cold drink was awaiting and some posing necessary - so I pushed the climbs, so much so that I almost threw up! What that was all about, I'm not sure. Maybe I've had a little more stress with my nerves than usual with all that's been going on of late. I spit a little (thank goodness nobody but a coyote saw me do this) and powered through it.



At the Observatory, I sat on the patio in some cool breezes and looked out over the hazy skies, down into an obscured city. Haze (partly smog) often ruins the views in Southern California unless at sunset (when it enhances the skyline in a surreal, multi-colored way). Didn't matter - I still enjoyed looking out over the hills, at the Hollywood sign and down below the hills into West LA and beyond - even to downtown LA!





I sat on the porch eating fruit, yogurt and some baked Lays before finally deciding to mosey on to my next destination. I left the Observatory rested but with a noticeable soreness in my quads. My legs were still having a say over how they were treated yesterday, and my climb back up into the canyons was laborious to say the least!

Finally, at the Mount Hollywood intersection, my route became a descent down the windy but quiet canyon. This part of my ride was my favorite. The wind (lots of it) was truly in my face, the sun kissing my shoulders and my spirits dancing within me. Other than two lone cyclists out climbing up the hill, I was alone among the coyotes, squirrels, rabbits and mice. None of them made an appearance as I slid effortlessly down the canyon, smiling, alive, genuinely happy to be here on earth and grateful for...well, just about everything.




Sound silly? Overly dramatic? Yeah, so what? When I ride my bike, I have these kinds of epiphanies all the time - add to that the fact that today was truly my last day of unemployment (and I sensed that) and...well...

I took Forest Lawn back, riding in my middle ring into the wind. Back at the car, I was feeling high (from the ride endorphins) but my legs were still on strike. I think another trip to the gym tomorrow before work is in order! Enough of their protests. I want lean, muscular gams and not the soft(ish), thigh-rubbing-when-I-walk pair I'm currently sporting. Enough is enough! Thank goodness that with my new job comes a running track. You'd better believe I'll be on it!

Once my bike was packed, I drove to Scales & Tails to order Boo's new terrarium. It's going to be so frickin' awesome, that little lizard has no idea yet. I mean, how spoiled can one reptile be? Hey, she deserves it. I'm even getting her a little fake tunnel to burrow in. How cute is that? She can bask on her branch or hide in her tunnel on and off all day while I'm gone.

Boo today on one of her last weekday "walk-abouts"

She's going to love it, even if she doesn't have a clue what the word love means. She licked my cheek tonight before she went to sleep (on the couch beside me under her blanky, behind some pillows - did I mention how spoiled she is?). That's her way of saying she loves me...well, that and determining who I am and that I'm not going to eat her. Hey, love comes in many forms, okay?

Now? I hit the hay. Lots to do tomorrow, Friday and this weekend. I still owe my friend some stuff (thank goodness she loves me as I've been terribly remiss on delivering the goods!) and, well, I start a new job tomorrow! And, I still want to write for The Examiner... and another website asked me to be a guest blogger for them (do they know what they are in store for?). So, lots and lots...but all good stuff!!! Yippee! And so it begins...thank goodness and oh, I'm so grateful.