Feliz Navidad

I can't say I've ever before spent a Christmas Eve relaxing on my back patio in shorts and a tee shirt, while the dogs mill about in the 80-degree sunshine. It might be above normal temperatures right now, but not so notable that anyone here is making a big stink about it. It certainly makes it more difficult to relate to or understand the plight of so many east of the Rockies who are dealing with major flooding, ice storms, and snow.

But this is my third Christmas in Los Angeles; does three make it officially permanent? This has been a big year on many fronts, and I figured that, per your indulgence, I'd ruminate for just a moment on all that has taken place in 2013.

Bryant and I bought a home. After years of living in Northern California, I'd given up on the idea that I'd ever be a homeowner, relegated instead to permanent renter status. Bryant's and my tale is a bit Cinderella-esque, even for Los Angeles, where we quite literally had our first bid on a home accepted and went from starting our shopping for homes to moving into one in just a matter of two months' time. Not only did the timing work out overwhelmingly in our favor, but so did the home and its location, just steps from B's new job, and in the middle of several of LA's most walkable neighborhoods. The neighborhood has an incredible mix of young and old, long-time residents and newbies, families and singles; and all-in-all it feels like a place that B and I can make a home, raise our pups, and have happy, healthy lives.

Speaking of our new home, we undertook a significant amount of work in the backyard area, to transform it from a chopped up space with incongruent pieces into a contiguous space with a large patio and pergola, yard, and even a giant Scrabble board! Every step of the way, Bryant and I discussed numerous ideas, hashed out the details, Googled myriad D-I-Y websites for info, and settled on details together. The before-and-after photos are all up on my Facebook page, and suffice to say that if I never have to move another chunk of concrete or haul tons of sand ever again, I'll be just fine. I also feel a sense of accomplishment that we did all of this - from demolition, to jackhammering, to laying of tiles, to building the pergola, nearly everything we did. There were cuts and scrapes along the way, but the result is totally worth it.

On a more personal note, I got to meet B's parents for the first time, and over the course of the year we've had a few opportunities to spend time together. I really like them, and I can see how much they care about their son and making sure that he's happy. I feel truly fortunate to soon be able to call them "mom and dad" (in addition to my birth parents, of course!).

Speaking of which... our wedding is now just several weeks away. Hard to believe that it's almost here, but it is, and I am stoked. We've spent so much effort on our backyard, in part, to prepare it for the wedding. Back when we were looking at possible wedding venues at the same time we were considering homeownership, we decided that, if possible, we'd want a home with a space that could be used for our wedding. And fortunately we found just such a place. The food is ordered, drinks almost all squared away, invitations sent, and most logistical details already handled, so now we're taking care of the smaller items that need to be done but might otherwise be forgotten, like the little giveaways for guests. Mostly, though, I just can't wait to marry B. He's absolutely everything I ever needed, and ever wanted, and every day that we have together is another day that I'm grateful to have him in my life.

Three Christmases. It's hard to express just how much my life has changed, and how happy I am for that change, in these past few years. Suffice it to say that I absolutely made the right decision moving here all those years ago, and I am a better man for it. In another week, I'll raise a toast to 2014 and all the new experiences and opportunities it will bring. For now, I'm simply grateful for everything that has transpired - and everything that I've learned and gained - this past year and since moving to LA in 2010.

Meteorological dissociation

The quintessential shot of Los Angeles from any television show or movie is the sun shining down on palm trees, their fronds swaying in the breeze, and craggy brown hillsides in the distance (perhaps even with the Hollywood sign). This is also maybe the easiest shot for a cinematographer to capture because nearly every day in LA is sunny, and the palm trees are ever-present.

As someone only mildly obsessed with meteorological phenomena, though, the weather here is more than a little boring. Rain just a handful of days every year (and then rarely for more than a few hours), June "gloom" that is about 6 straight weeks of grey skies in morning followed by warm, hazy sunshine in the afternoon and evening, and otherwise nothing but sunny skies that go on and on for months. It's enough to make even me forget that on a rare occasion I actually need to dress for the weather.

What is jarring is that, no matter the time of year, I generally only know what season it is by reading or watching the news. Yes, we get a couple chilly weeks in the winter where lows drop into the mid-40s, and in the summer we'll get weeks of 80 degree temperatures every day. But I see reports of a snowstorm, tornado outbreak, hurricane, or flash flood, and it all feels... foreign.

Chicago sees golfball-sized hail and 50-mph winds, and it's sunny and 75 here. Oklahoma City gets hit by a 2-mile-wide tornado, and it's 70 and sunny here. New York City gets slammed with a hurricane, and we're sitting in 80 degree sunshine. On the rare occasion that it rains here, we've usually had warning for days and the local news is bringing us regular updates on the rain, including man-on-the-street interviews (i.e. "how are you staying dry this morning?"). And that's only during the 5-month span when it actually *can* rain, as the rest of the year is dry season.

I suppose I shouldn't complain, but on some level I do miss weather. I imagine myself sipping a hot cocoa alongside a fireplace looking out over a snowy scene, or I picture a towering cloud swirling and rumbling overhead while I stand outside and wait for a cold rain to sweep in and push the warm humid air away. But rarely is it ever humid, almost never does it thunder, and the closest it gets to snowing is a picturesque winter scene of the 10,000-feet above sea level San Gabriel mountains in the distance after a cold rain.

Just some random thoughts I wanted to share and wondering what others have to say. Feel free to share in the comments!