What is different about Southern California?

We've had almost two months to digest SoCal life. So many of you are wondering "what is different about So.California and its inhabitants?" especially relative to Canadians.
1. In my observations there are two types of Californians: the laid back Californian and the intense, "in-a-hurry" californian. The laid back are often clueless to there surroundings, they just move slow, talk slow, and are pretty easy going. The intense Californians have no clue anyone else exists. They honk as soon as the light turns green. Not passing judgement on either. Each have their charm.
2. Believe or not, Orange County, especially where we are (Irvine), is not very pedestrian friendly. The main roads are six lanes or more wide (every one) and the lights change very quickly. This is not a place for people to retire and walk the community.
3. I don't know why but valet parking is a common site in the larger malls. The OC is so anti-pedestrian, they don't like to walk from their parking spot to the mall.
4. The landscape is fantastic: Rugged hills, beautiful beaches, and cliffs overlooking the ocean.
5. The weather is perfect: hot in the sun; cool in the shade. Warm during the day and cool at night. Best of all, no sticky humidity. I don't miss London in this regards.
There are more and I am sure I will revisit the issue later.

First Mid-Terms Approaching

Well, it is mid-quarter and that means many projects are coming due and many exams are scheduled. In my semester programs, homework ceased around exam time to let students prepare. It appears this is not the case for business school. They keep us busy right through. I guess after a few years of work, they fairly expect us to be able to juggle a full work load.

My accounting is up first this Thursday. Then Stats the next Tuesday. My last exam is IT management the following Wednesday. They are good about spacing them out avoiding a hell week for us students. I am not too worried. After all a mid-term in a quarter system is only about a month and a half of class. Nonetheless, tension is up, but compared to law school the tension is like a Carribean holiday.

Taco Tuesdays!

Every once and a while, Lindsey and I find some energy to go out and have a good time. One such time was Taco Tuesdays at El Ranchito in Newport. The place offers all-you-can-eat taco (and taquitos, quesadillas, etc..) for $5. The food is really good, but very messy. It also features some of the best $4 margaritas you will ever have. Taco Tuesday opens at around 6pm and people get juiced and around 11:30 they hit a small dancefloor to dance to top 40 rap and dance tunes.

The only drawback is the lack of chairs to sit. Lindsey wore her uncomfortable shoes, so she was pretty aggressive in finding an open seat. For awhile I thought she went for tacos or to the washroom, only to discover she scored a seat.

Overall, we highly recommend El Ranchito for Tuesday night fun!

How are Classes?

The question I most often hear is "how are the classes?" It is a difficult one to answer because we only about one month in and my classes are the from the first semester, which generally are "foundation" classes. These classes set the foundation for the remainder of the term. Therefore, they are generally not overly challenging, but are very important because if I don't understand these courses it could hurt future courses.

The best way to describe the classes is that there is a lot of quantity, but the quality is not very challenging. This is not to say the quality of the classes are not excellent. They are great. It is only that they don't push your mind to the next level (as they shouldn't). The homework keeps me busy; the workload is very similar to a full time job. Thankfully, coming from the business world and being an entrepreneur I am easily keeping up with the work demands.

Overall, I am enjoying my classes. I am learning about finanical statements and refreshing my statistics knowledge. It is great to get some fundemental knowledge that links to my work experience. There were many times when I looked at a client financial statment and knew there was something wrong with an area. Now, I am putting some theory behind my instincts.

Our New Home

UCI has been busy building new student housing. We were placed in the newest family housing area. Our apartment is little more than a year old.

On the inside, it is difficult to fit 1100 sq ft. of condo items into 850 sq ft of new diggs. It is especially difficult to fit our living room furniture that was choosen to fill up a room twice the size of the room where it now sits. Oh well, 2o months or so.

Outside is really nice. There are quite a few buildings in the complex. The area is wonderfully landscaped. There are charcoal BBQs near each building and two big gas BBQs outside of the housing office, a few minutes walk from our place. Each evening bunnies run rampant around the common areas. It is quite cute.

The inside decor is a bit drab: White walls, thin bluish carpet. The kitchen is a nice open design, but we are hurting for closet space. The apartment has the mark of rushed contractors as the floors have evidence of being laid over a few pieces of wood leaving the occasional subtle bumps. As I said, 20 months or so; we'll make due.

Residential - 3 days and 3 long nights

The Merage residential is our first credit course of the year. It is a 3 1/2 day condensed introducting into strategy and team dynamics. The days start at 9am and they end late into the night with a due assignment.

The main purpose of the course is to teach team dynamics. The assignments were no more than a vessel to teach the teams team skills. We are introduced to our small group with whom we will be completing all group assignments in the first year. Instructor's were around to ensure we were working well with our team. I found that my team went through some growing processes. At first we were a bit excited upon our assignment. Then, as the assignments came, we experienced a lack of trust among all of us in our team mates. It was very hard for me to let go and trust my team mates. Two assignments into two late nights will not make a great team, but it is a start. Today, I see a lot of growth from where we started that weekend.

The final night is late because it is a party. The evening starts with a formal meal and pairs of groups performing sketches. The jokes were very inside and a bit nerdy, but we all loved it. Afterwards the partying begins. Flare ups of shouting and music arose in various areas of the hotel. It ended in someones room with me leaving around 3am. Overall, that was a pretty great bonding experience.

Needless to say, I was exhausted and again poor Lindsey, who was left alone in our apartment (although I left her in a furnished apartment and I got her a TV the night before), was met with a tired husband. I think the spouses really got the raw deal from the Orientation.

Orientation - Week 1

The first week of orientation was incredibly hectic. It started 9am Monday with a speech from our dean. It ended early the next Monday morning after completion of a 3 1/2 day residential course locked in a hotel. In between were a series of orientation sessions designed to introduce us to Student Services, Careers Office, and academic expectations.

I think the sessions did a pretty good job introducing us to the school and its resources. The one thing missing from the first week was that memorable social event that introduced to us to a bit of the area and got us interacting with the class off-campus.

The week after the residential was pretty relaxing. I think we had 2 - 1/2 day sessions. This allowed me and Linz to catchup, unpack our delivered furniture, and set up our apartment.

I finally got my laptop!

We take a break from catching you up on our experiences to let everyone know I finally got my laptop. My drama with Dell over just getting my order processed could fill a novel. Frankly, I have no more energy to relive it by retelling the tale. Suffice it to say, it is a story of silly employee mistakes, inflexible and disconnected processes, and a full voice mail box. Well, I got it only 44 days after I first attempted to order it. Now, my blog productivity should go up.

Don't Stop Moving

Late dinner followed by an early morning. We've just arrived in Irvine and I haven't been able to catch my breath. Even worse, poor Lindsey has been sitting alone in a sparsely furnished apartment since we've arrived.

What was so important that I woke up and headed to the rec centre (the ARC) by 8:30am? It was pretty cool. The Merage Fellows were treated to an action, adventure, team-building experience. In the morning we participated in some activities at the ARC including a climb up a indoor rock climbing wall. Pulling up all 225 lbs of my out-of-shape self was pretty rough and, I sure, even less appealing for everyone else to watch, but I got up there.

In the afternoon, we went out to the Newport Aquatic Center to go sea kayaking through the back bay and around the balboa island penninsula right by the ocean. When started with an approximately mile and a half kayak through some of the richest coast homes one could ever see. The homes were pretty massive and their docked boats were even larger.

At the end of trek, we were treated to a great lunch and a few teamwork games. Lunch was a brief respite from our calling journey back. In the kayak we saw a large seal sunning itself on the rear of a boat. We past within 15 feet of the seal and he gave us a little snort.

I made it back home by a little after 4pm, bone exhausted. I think I was asleep by 8pm.

Destination Irvine: Day 6 California Here We Come..

So, Vegas was a bit of a let down. The good news was that we were going to make one of my favourite journeys - out of Nevada and into California via the 15. I can't help but imagine wagons that travels through the Nevada desert, to come out of the mountains and see the L.A basin. It is an amazing journey.
We cruised through California's carpool lanes into Irvine. We set up a bank account and then tried to set up a cellular phone service. Unfortunately, we discovered that as Canadians we would need our Social Insurance cards to be approved for a phone. Who would have thought that cell phone companies would turn away potential customers? While we memorized our SIN numbers, we packed our cards with our movers. So we were refused a cell phone until we got our cards (five days later).
We checked into our hotel and went to sleep pretty early. I think we knew this was our last chance to sleep on a good bed before our furniture arrived in five days.
On Friday we moved into our place with little problems. The family housing complexes at UC Irvine are very pretty. Unfortunately, we got a scenic view of the ground floor parking lot. There's little we can do, so we will make the best of it for the next two years (At least we will not have to carry groceries up a couple flights of stairs).
While I went off to meet some fellow international students, Lindsey unpacked our few belongings and inflated our air mattress. That evening, the Merage Fellows met for a formal dinner with the Dean. This was my first introduction with my other peers. There is about 16 of us with international students consisting of approximately 50% of that number (maybe more - I haven't sat down to do an accuraate count). It is very easy to see in each one of the other Fellows something special. It seemed like I immediately knew why each person was chosen for the scholarship. I have no doubt they will set a high standard that I hope I can reach.
The dinner ended very quickly. There was little extra socializing because the school planned for the next day a early morning activity for all of us Fellows.
I went to bed on a crappy air mattress. It definitely was not my best sleep of this journey, but there was something about being in my new home that made me enjoy that first night.

Destination Irvine: Day 5 Vegas Baby!!

In the early morning hour we departed our beloved wigwan (yes, we know it is a teepee) knowing that we will be facing a busy day. Our primary midpoint destination would be the famous Grand Canyon. But before the grand experience we stopped in Flagstaff at Kathy's for breakfast. Kathy is a quiet Asian woman whose Mexican cooking staff cooks a mean breakfast (and a tasty side salsa). Kathy offers with every main breakfast order the option of getting a complimentary fresh-baked muffin. I recommend it; it was delicious.
After a solid breakfast one is ready to experience the sight of all sights: the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon is a 45 minute drive due north of flagstaff. Upon reaching the entrance, you pay your fee (that is good for the entire week, not that it would help us) and drive toward some of the most awe-inspiring scenery known to man.
I want to make it clear I am not a nature nut. When I see a scenic view I say "wow that's nice", but I do not become melodramatic. I say without regret that your first views of the Grand Canyon will be memorable. You read about it. You even see pictures of it. But until you walk up to the edge, you will never truly know it. Even more majestic that the Niagara Falls (sorry Canada), the Grand Canyon is beyond description. We've posted a few pictures. They do not do it justice, but they are the best we got.
After nature's wonder, we set off towards a man-made wonder, the Hoover dam. On route one has the opportunity to take a rte66 sidetrack into Seligman. Seligman is like Holbrook, a final bastion of rte6 Americana. It seems to be fighting against time and it has the support of the American biker community. I recommend stopping at the Snow-Cap Drive-In. It looks bizarre. The employees/owners are bizarre. It is worth every penney getting a bite to ear or a delicious shake. Just make sure you get a real straw. After Seligman, rte66 makes a large loop throught peach springs. In our opinion there wasn't much on the rest of the journey, so you may prefer to head back onto the 40.
We headed up hwy 93 at Kingman towards Vegas. How does one describe old 93? If one wanted to ensure that he would die and no one would find him, he would do it on the 93. The 93 is the most desolate, abandoned road I have ever encountered. It is about one hour from Kingman to the Hoover dam and the whole way I prayed to any god that our car would make the journey. I am pretty sure that if we stopped, our bodies would never be found again; likely being so delicious supper for some crazy hermit who patrolled the road for naive tourists.
The hoover dam has a police inspection point. Well, the inspection point is mainly a tent consisting of two retired officers of some sort who ask if you have any explosives. Essentially, if you do not look arabic you can proceed. As we are whiter that white we had no problem circumventing the security. We were unable to stop and really experienc the Hoover dam because they are busy constructing a new road throught the site. Ths road will not travel over the dam (I expect to keep the landmark safe). To make a long story short: we drove over the dam; it looked pretty big.
From Hoover Dam, we headed into Vega. Yeah, Vegas baby!! First, I want to say that Vegans (or whatever they are called) are crazy drivers. They wiz by us tourists in the left and right lanes like they are chasing the NEXTEL Cup. We found our hotel that was a mere quarer mile from the strip, on the other side of the 15. I admit it was cheap, but I figured if it was only a quarer mile from the strip we could easily walk there. Lindsey and I napped for a few hours and prepared to tour the stip around 8pm. You can see the strip. You can walk towards the strip. Unfortunately some retarded tourists like us can't reach the strip. It seemed every turn we made was the wrong one and we ended up wanderning areas of Vegas on foot where it was a miracle that we weren't mugged. In hindsight, we discovered our wrong turns, but we really did not have the energy to move forward on foot. We decided to drive around. Lindsey say the neon of the Vegas strip in its full glory. She wasn't very impress (she may have been tired) and we returned for a good night sleep. A good night sleep in Vegas; we are embarassments to all Canadians.

Destination Irvine: Day 4 Calling All Wigwams

Our day 4 agenda had alot of sightseeing and the highlight stop of our trip. We began the day early heading to Sky City. Sky City is the longest continuously inhabited settlement in North America. It is also on the top of a beautiful mesa in the scenic New Mexico country-side. This trip was a last minute plan, but ended up to be a wonderful experience.
The main reason the visit was memorable was the stories of our tour guide, Tony (his catholic name - don't ask me to remember his native name). Tony was charged by the tribe to communicate its history to all visitors. He passionately talked about how the Spaniards tried to force Catholicism on his people only for them to revolt. Then, how his people later embraced Catholicism after the Mexicans offered it to them. His people now practice their native religion and catholicism. The mesa city had a spanish church that featured aspects of both religions.
I highly recommend to everyone to check this site out. It is a true historical landmark.
Next, we headed to Inscription Rock. A national monument site that shows that rich white people like graffiti too! Seriously, it is a large protruding rock (more than a hill, less than a mountain) that featured a fresh water spring. The spring attracted all travellers on horse. A spanish govenor and explorer first inscribed his name on the rock after discovering the Gulf of California. Other people followed - Spaniards, then later Americans. Many of the inscriptions can be tied to documented periods of history that make the inscriptions so much more powerful.
It is a self-guided walking tour where they give you a guide book and a well marked path. Near the end of the tour Lindsey saw a snake and got a bit freaked. Since I know little about snakes I wasn't going to screw with it. So, we decided to leave. We later were informed that it was a bull snake; a perfectly harmless snake who eats rattlers.
With plenty of daylight to spare we headed into Arizona and to our highlight destination, the Wigwam Motel. This is an institution on Rte66. And as the pictures show, it was everything we thought it could be (although the bed was a bit uncomfortable). For those unfamiliar with the Wigwam Motel, yes we know that rooms are shaped like a Teepee (not a Wigwam), but that is part of the kitsche. It was truly a memorable experience.
The Wigwam's town of Holbrook is a wonderful piece of Rte66. There are alot of neon signs, motels and diners. We happened to have dinner at one of its most famous, Joe and Aggie's Cafe. Without a doubt, it was our best meal of the trip. J&A's boast delicious home cooked mexican food (for those asking how does Joe and Aggie create amazing Mexican food, we were informed the true names of the founders Jose and Agnacia) and some of the best conversation about the old road. We met J&A's grandson who recently returned to help run the restaurant with his sister and parents. They were happy to talk to us about the history of the area and definitely had us cracking up at their jokes. We highly recommend stopping in.

Destination Irvine: Day 3 Leaving the Plains

We decided to head out on day 3 a little bit later than usual. We were pretty tired from the pace of the previous two days. We didn't plan on a lot of sightseeing, but the little made up for itself in quality as we drove out of Oklahoma, through the Texas panhandle, and into New Mexico.
I think pictures best explain the sites. There isn't much history to them, but you can see in order the titled water tower of Texas, the incredibly large cross, and the infamous Cadillac Ranch.

We also stopped on Rt66 to take pictures of some very cool motels in New Mexico. Unfortunately, we did not stop to enjoy these locations, but it was great to see them.
At the end our day 3 run, we ended up about 1 hour west of Albuquerque in a very small town. We ate at a family restaurant and went to bed early.

Quick note: As I am playing catch up, I am not proof reading the posts. I appologize for the grammar and spelling mistakes.

Destination Irvine: Day 2 Back on Track

We spent our first night in a quaint budget chain hotel, just south of St. Louis. We woke up early the next morning eager to finally begin enjoying our trip. We decided to start sight-seeing by going to the Mermac Caverns (just to the south of our hotel, about 30 minutes outside of St. Louis).
Mermac Caverns is a massive cave complex that has a storied history. It was once the location of explosives factory for the north that was destroyed by the Confederate army commando unit that included Jesse James. Legend has it that Jessie later escaped from a Bank robbery in those caves. Today, in addition to tours, the front areas of the caves are used for some town meetings and parties (there is a large disco ball in a large round chamber!).
As you can see from the picture, the stalactites and stalagmite are pretty impressive. In true American fashion, they end the tour with the playing of god bless America with the American Flag projected on a massive formation. On the way out, we had to stop and take the wonderful picture of us in the warped mirror. Aren't we a cute couple?


After departing Mermac, we soon left the interstate to enjoy old route 66 through Missouri, into Kansas, and then into Oklahoma. There are a few interesting buildings, but there is a desolation theme through most of the small towns.
Once in Oklahoma, the interesting sites were few and far between, so we hopped back on the interstate stopping for the night on the western edge of Oklahoma City. The motel sucked, but I had a steak dinner that made up for it.