Home Is Where The Wifi Is

...and right now, home is the Amelia Earhart Branch Library in North Hollywood.

I have all the essential utilities hooked up: gas, electric, Playstation. The only thing missing is broadband.

After some initial anxiety about getting into the apartment on Wednesday (given we were a day ahead of schedule and there was a snag in receiving the lease paperwork) Joe and I pulled the Big Yellow Pig into 12050 Tiara and spent three hours unloading the truck.

It made me wish I'd gotten a place on the first floor, but we got it done. (It also made me wish I had loaded the truck by myself - I would have thrown out A LOT more stuff!!)

Thursday we assembled furniture and picked up Von from the airport. She sat next to some guy, and when she explained that I was out here to pursue acting he said "What's his name, I'll look for him on tv." That always floors me a little bit when people on planes say that (it's not the first time). It's not like he's going to REMEMBER, and he's never even seen me so he can't recognize me either.

But the business is glamorous, so I understand the impulse.

Friday Joe and I trucked down to Compton and got a fridge at ApplianceSmart. WOW was that a good deal. I got an $800 fridge for $465. (One of the weird things about California is that most apartments do not provide a refridgerator. I filed that one under the "Don't TRY to understand" category.)

Then we cleaned out the truck, returned it to one of the local Penske affiliates, and went out to eat in Burbank.

I have to say, I had nothing but good experiences with our Penske truck - the thing was brand new when we picked it up - just over 2000 miles on it. Great condition, great driving, good service. The only drawbacks were a lack of cruise control and a very barebones radio.

But hey, that's what your iPod FM tuner is for.

This morning Joe & Von picked up their rental car and drove off to visit friends in Tucson and motor up to Vegas for the flight back. It's going to be hard living 2000 miles away from my family and friends. I lived in Germany for a year, but that was somehow different. That had a definite expiration date to it - I was coming back in 10 months. This somehow feels more permanent.

But I guess that's only going to be the case if things work out here. There are certainly more options for keeping in touch now than there were when I lived in Germany - e-mail, instant messenger, cheap long distance, cheap flights from LA.

I'm sure there will be some culture shock. LA is more diverse than my Aunt Terri's hotdish. Different colors, different accents, different fashions.

But I am determined to settle in and get to work.

And try to stay me. Everyone else is so California, I think it's to my advantage to stay Minnesotan.

...As much as you can when it's 74 degrees in February.

-Tom, who'll have to tell you about the Star Trek Experience in Vegas some time.