That's Life

Well, here I am still in California and still no job or transportation. However as we speak I am playing E-mail tag with a guy selling a bike on craigslist. I also have just recently turned in about 14 billion applications to places near where I am currently staying. I have only had one promising lead for a job, and that is at a bank being a teller about 3 miles from here. What can I say? Most of my family is freezing their buns off and I am here in 70 degree weather. I just hope that I can find a job and a bike and a place to love soon. The plan is, once I get a job and a place to live and I'm settled down a wee bit, I start looking for a car for el cheapo. I have to say, its scary living without the parents, but it is also feels quite liberating.
Until next time.

The new and inproved me

Well, I finally got to move. I have wanted to move my whole life, don't ask me why, and now I've done it. Thus far it doesn't seem like I've moved, it just seems like I'm on a vacation. But because I started having to look for work, I am getting this feeling of lonelyness. Do I miss my family? Not as much as I thought I would. I miss knowing where everything is. So far I have been places and I have no idea where I am going. I finally got a bus sceduale, but it is huge and I have no idea where I am going, still.
My good friend Derek's Grandmother is in charge of linin and sterilization at a hospitol in Whittier, Ca. I was/am hoping to get a job there, but again, I have no idea where it is. I feel so lost, yet free at the same time.
I am living with Nicole's family at the moment (Nicole is my girlfriend) and they have been very helpful in a lot of ways. Nicole's mom said she could help me write a resume and has put out the word at their church that I need a roommate or two. I just hope everything falls into place soon.

Last Weekend in Alaska

Well, this was my last weekend in Alaska. So, as part of my Christmas present from my Grandma Patras, my parents took my little brother and myself to Alyeska Ski Resort to ski and stay for two days.
We left the house Friday morning and John and I started skiing. I don't know what they do in the rest of the country, but up here at Aly, they changed the lift-ticketing system. When I started skiing it was just a little wire thing that you stuck this sticker that was a specific colour and had the day's date on it. Last season they changed it to those plastic bands, like what Air Marshals use to handcuff people on planes, and they used bar codes on them to let you on the lifts. Then, they changed them again this season to little plastic cards that get scanned automatically by this big 'ol things that just sit there.
We skied Friday and Saturday. I left early, because I hadn't been to church in like a month so I left in time to buy my girlfriend a present and get to Vespers on Saturday, while the rest of my family stayed another night.
Then today I just sat around and talked to my girlfriend on the phone.
Isn't my life just exciting!
JP

Unemployment

Well, for those of you who don't live within a 500 yard radius of me, today was my last day working at Wal*Mart. Finally! I was so stressed out near the end because I hated more that half of the people that I worked with and the fact that I had to be there at 3 am almost every day. Jonah (one of the "associates" that I actually like) made me some special pizza bread. Now, in the Wal*Mart Bakery, we make pizza bread using cheese bread, which we cut open and put a regulated number of slices of peperoni and a small amount of cheese inside and then close it up and reshape it. However, for me, because it was my last day, Jonah made me some using Jalepeno bread (we were out of the cheese bread). He made me 4 rolls and I gave him one to try and I bought the others. During his lunch and at the end of my last break, he shared some with me. It was delicious! You couldn't taste the jalepeno but you still got the spicy aftertaste...like heaven.
Anyway, the family and myself are going to Alyeska this weekend so that John and I can go skiing and we will be staying for 2 nights. I am going to drive myself back early so that I can go to church for vespers on saturday night and liturgy on sunday. Then I leave next friday! I am sooooooooooo excited! James out.

Musician update

Recently, with my new found power of a credit card, I have bought some music off of iTunes. Of course this is way different from my normal way of getting things for free but what the hey, right?

Anyway, I just wanted to share with all ya'll what I be gettin.



Blind Pilot - A band based out of Oregon, very mellow and just overall cool. If you like The Shins, you'll like them.

Bell X1 - A band based out of Ireland, very smooth and soothing. If you like People In Planes, you'll like them.

Jack Penate - Actually, his name has a squiggly above the "n" but I don't know how to do that. He is English with some Spanish. His music is very upbeat and happy for the most part. I can't think of another band to compare him to.

Slint - This is a very indie band from the 90's that never got any publicity or radio airtime. However I think that they are great. They are very unique in the fact that they usually don't sing so much as speak, so basically they are a bunch of beatniks? Again no comparison.

Throw Me The Statue - Is a modern indie band based out of Seattle. Their sound is very unique yet kind of generic. If you are into any indie band in general, it is hard not to like them.

That is all that I have for now. Peace, love and hugs.

Newsflash!

Newsflash! For all of you who pay attention, I just bought myself a ticket to California for the 26th of December. I am going to move down there so that I can be closer to my girlfriend Nicole Braun. Am I crazy? Perhaps, but I can't help it, I'm goin' to California!

That does it.

I moved into the "St. James House" which is also called, "The Big House" by other people in my neighborhood. It is something that my church set up for college aged Orthodox Christians. There is a host family that is in charge and sets rules and the like. This year the host family is the Frizzeles (I am totally certian that I spelled that wrong, you can call me on it if you want). I moved the most important stuff today and I hope I can keep most of my extra stuff at home. I will have limited web access so I won't be here as often (Because I knew you would be worried about that). I hope to have tons of fun.