There's almost been a year between updates, and, as sad as that seems, it feels more like the year went by in a haze. One year ago is when life as we knew it went away, and we went into a zombie trance. What do we even write about when nothing is happening and you barely feel alive? "Phil's going to work again!" or "Steph is in the car driving three hours a day to and from work" Not very exciting!.... In fact really sad and this last year has taken its toll on our way of life and our relationship. An inescapable pattern of waking up every morning and saying goodbye as we slug off to work and then meeting each other just in time to fall asleep.
It hasn't been all bad, we did typically get one sacred weekend off a month together. We would spend it getting to know each other again and trying to brighten our spirits but it just wasn't enough. We would end our weekends tearfully saying goodbye again as though we wouldn't be seeing each other for another month.
This past year has been a recovery. We spent the first year of our relationship living on pennies. We spent the beginning of the second year, digging a very hard to get out of financial trench. (Trips to Europe and moving to California are very expensive, no matter how cheap you are). Since then, we've spent an entire year working. Day after day. I started selling cars for Honda here in Santa Cruz; it was a rough start but once it got going it took off like a rocket! We were completely out of debt in a fraction of the time we thought it would take. Good to know that we have that card up our sleeves if times ever get really tough in our household. Altough car sales are very lucrative they are costly in other ways. The only way to be successful is to sell cars, and the only way to sell cars is to be at the dealership as much as possible. Waking up and leaving the house at 8:15AM and most nights not getting home until 8:30PM or even later...
Stephanie went to work for Aeria Games, an online gaming company that puts out Chinese-made adventure fantasy games, that people pay little micro transactions on to play or build their characters up, while living in their parent's basement. It's actually a pretty successful little start up, but like in all things, getting it off the ground is full of confusion and mishaps. Her company is a little disorganized at times and will often switch direction on a dime. Leaving Stephanie feeling like her ladder to the top is a little shaky and insecure. Non the less, she continues to climb; Stephanie started out with an intern position with the company and after a few months of hard work and dealing with being treated like an intern, she was offered a position on the release team. (Before games come out, Stephanie is part of a group of people who then try and tell the whole world about the game and hopefully line up a lot of people to play the game once it is ready to play.)
We're still living in our little cabin in the Redwoods. By far the most naturally beautiful place I have ever lived. It's on a rapid river with a waterfall and a huge swimming hole in the backyard. When the weather is nice out there is no place I'd rather be. It smells wonderful all the time and recently my garden has started to grow. The only downside being it totally kills the allure of camping. Last year when we went to Yosemite, we remarked that our house has less people and way more natural beauty (Sad but true). The other downside being that with the exception of our neighbor it's very difficult to make friends all the way out here. "Hey do you want to drive 45mins to have a little dinner party at our house tonight?", "Oh, why not?".
However, this is not a sad story. There is a lot of happiness on the horizon! I no longer sell cars. I sold a brand new CR-V to a wonderful couple a month ago and they both offered me a job. He is a district manager for AT&T and she is a Bench manager for Chase. I will be starting my position for with JPMorgan and Chase as a personal banker next week after the holiday weekend. That's right, I now get holidays and weekends and literally work banker's hours!!!! I'll probably be taking a little pay cut but still essentially will be in sales and able to make a good living. Stephanie and I will have more time together and I won't have the stigma of being a car salesman. Imagine every person I talked to at the dealership hating you, before they even meet you! My favorite line to sum up the job is that people will be a complete asshole to you and you have to smile like they brought you chocolate cake!
Steph has a new car and soon we'll be moving to Santa Cruz. This should cut down her commute by almost a third and allow us to finally start making a couple of local friends.
We have plans upon plans upon plans. This weekend we're hiking and going to try surfing for the first time. Next weekend we're going to LA so Steph can meet some extended family and the following weekend we're going on a cruise! Three days, LA to Baja and back!
Hello world, WE ARE BACK
Phil
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