I'm terrible at letters so I thought I would blog instead, too bad for you I'm not so great at those either

When I first met you I thought, this is probably the most hip cat that I've held a conversation with. I felt intrigued by your energy and invited into the fervor of your personality.

It was the boisterous laugh that usually accompanied a knee slap and a head jerk in case anyone questioned your sincerity. Although theatrics rarely seemed staged.

But this is supposed to be about me, my daily drama in the quest for greatness.

I stood at sunset facing the stacked clouds piled over the ocean yesterday and knew I was home. The smell and wind are so different from the lake that I love so much.

Sunsets bring some of the most vivid shades of pink I've seen anywhere. My favorite moments are nested on the beach after dusk. I will have to show you sometime. (Picture from a fellow blogger and sunset aficionado)

I am melding into the monotony of city life. The traffic, the hustle, the climb up the social ladder. This is not meant in disdain, but astonishment that I could assimilate so quickly.

Los Angeles is no longer just a vacation or an extended visit, but where I live. Still settling without getting too settled.

My lovely roommate and I found solace in a cozy apartment on street lined with gnarled trees. I couldn't be happier. She introduced me to numerology and I believe this is my personal year of creativity. Don't ask how I deduced this, the math still boggles me.

Therefore, I am working harder than ever to stretch from my comfort zone. Each weekend this month I attend an event or gathering that perks my interest about this fair city. Going downtown to experience the plethora of museums and galleries is a must.

The recent trip to the Natural History Museum's first friday event was a bust. People actually asked us to scalp them tickets. Jokes on them, we didn't have any. Who knew that Yeasayer would be so popular? Who knew people in Los Angeles drove in the rain?

Sticking to what's familiar is dangerous, even in a city full of unfamiliarity. I left behind the dive bars and the cafe jobs for a reason. These items soon found their place in LA, but I think their presence is fleeting.

Writing has become more demanding between freelance and my desire to post all these new experiences for the world to see. I am jumping at every opportunity to get out there and get my voice heard. I feel the verge of some great work.

Trying to learn from my mistakes and quiet any disparities.

Covering the mundane school board meetings and city hall agendas are different when hoer devours are plentiful and Cindy Crawford is sitting in front of you. Is it wrong that I almost lost my composure only when I saw the actor that plays Data in Star Trek?

I miss a community of writers and welcome any work that you want to send me way. I of course welcome any input you have even if it's just a comment on a silly post. I want to hear about the Windy City. I miss it so.

Thank you for listening. It's tough being the new kid some days.

Send my love to the Smitten Mitten. Please respond with a jar of snow as soon as possible. I will be waiting.

Funny part is I've always wanted to meet a Tom Selleck doppelganger

With the introduction of Doppelganger week, a new form of self-delusion and ridicule have commenced. For those of you who aren't glued to social media or updating your Facebook hourly, it's officially post your "celeb" doppelganger as your profile pic week.

Try not to get too excited for those of you that have always looked like the Notorious B.I.G. I always thought your doppelganger was an evil twin you dueled to the death upon meeting, for neither can live while the other survives...

The story goes according to the Huffington Post who actually cared to look into it, this guy decided to fight back against his co-workers for always pointing out that he looked like Tom Selleck and post their doppelgangers via Facebook.

This whole thing is even better than posting what bra color you are wearing. Not sure what that has to do with breast cancer, but who am I to judge all you leopard print touting ladies.

I had no idea that so many of my Facebook "friends" look like Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lopez and Reese Witherspoon. Despite what some might claim, I don't know anyone that actually looks like Janet Jackson.

I am the first to admit that people are getting generic and blend together into six variations. This is not dependent on race or coloring either. Yet celebrities are a hyperbolic stretch for many the average person due to stylists and airbrushing.

I mean how awkward to have to tell your man that no, he doesn't look anything like Antonio Banderas, but more like a combination of Steve Buscemi and John Leguizamo circa The Pest.

It really is shocking to see the lack of Kevin Spaceys, Woody Allens and James Gandolfinis. To be fair I do run with a younger crowd, but not once did I see an image of Screech from Saved by the Bell. You know you’re out there.

If only each of these profile pictures could be juxtaposed next to an actual photo of the person. Then people can actually see the resemblance and really make it interesting.

Oh totally sweetie, if you dropped about twenty pounds and shaved that mustache you really would look just like Beyoncé. Oh wait, now that I look at it maybe I was thinking of Oprah.

I refuse to participate in this game because it is obnoxious enough to get a weekly shout-out from a random that thinks I look like Pink or the mom from Gilmore Girls. Thank baby jesus Even Stevens went off the air. I repeat, I do not look like that girl even though she got rid of the braces.

So my genealogy is a melting pot of Eastern European immigrants and natives. I understand that sister and I have that "familiar" look. No, I did not take sociology 101 with you nor do I know anyone from Wisconsin.

Do not fret those of you blessed with originality and charismatic features. No one really wants to be confused for someone else unless it gets you free stuff.

Anyway I always did bear a shocking resemblance to Natalie Portman, if I do say so myself. Only with the shaved head of course.

Best mom quote of the day: "Little kids that play with knives don't get to go to Toys R Us."

My LA residency is now legit. I have the unpaid parking tickets to prove it.

After three months of free tenancy on sister's almost comfortable couch, I am the proud renter of my own place. Of course, I am not eternally grateful for sister kicking my butt to move to California and sleep rent free in her bitchin' pad. Plus, I got total bragging rights for living in Venice. Yes, it is as bohemian, grimy and riddled with celebrities as you might have imagined.

Through spectacular planetary alignment I found the lovely Fraser to move-in with. She is a bubbly, vivacious Aries who enjoys our 15 minute walk to get to the beach. The quiet little neighborhood has just been hit with an exponentially higher cute factor.

The streets are lined with towering, full trees and quaint houses covered in vines. Sounds of the neighbor’s wind chimes fill the apartment on certain nights. Couldn't be more pleased with the near full sunset is visible from our back porch.

Unless maybe we were living upstairs.

Our cozy two-bedroom apartment has a retro feel, lots of natural light and hard wood floors throughout. Although I have yet to find a bed, the air mattress will do as long as I have the freedom to put my stuff wherever I want and have boys over. Take that big sister.

The shower does sound like the furies are going to come flying out of it every time you turn it on. The first time I heard the wailing I crouched to cover my vitals and looked for any flying banshees that have entered the room. We’re working on it.

Out back there is a lovely courtyard with multiple plant arrangements. The light is perfect for all the veggies, herbs and succulents that I want to plant. So far my arrangement consists of a cactus brought as a housewarming gift from Michigan (thank you Ben), an adorable unidentified

succulent and some collected pieces of ice plant that Sarah brought back from our trip to Pismo Beach.

Fraser, I promise I didn’t know that the tenacious ice plant is ravaging the wilds of coastal California. We just thought it looked neat.

Said plants have also started a covert battle with one of the neighbors. I keep putting them on the ledge, so we can see their beauty from the window. It makes me smile.

Someone who does not share this sentiment keeps

moving the pots onto the ground. This has now happened multiple times.

When the pots are on the ground, I can’t see them until I walk to the ledge of the porch. This defeats the purpose, so I move them back. Sneaky neighbors.

I blame the cantankerous guy who lives upstairs. I can’t remember his name so let’s call him Darryl. He gets so agitated by our boisterous talking that he stomps on the floor.

Pause for ridiculous laughter.

I am going to invest in a special broom so that I can communicate back to him by knocking the handle on the ceiling. Call it a battle of wills between floors. Our hopes for a real-life recreation of Friends is finally being realized (true Friends fans will remember the cranky downstairs neighbor who for some reason always wore a robe).

Maybe the next time he stomps, I will rush upstairs in apparent fright. When he answers I will look him up and down. Then ask if he’s alright because I heard what sounded like a fall, which may have resulted in injury. Upon explanation I will politely request that he refrains from stomping about as we enjoy a calm environment.

He does however seem to be building an ark by day. The clanking from above can only be made by the heavy machinery he sporadically drops on the floor. He may also be loading the ark full of bowling balls.

Being the understanding neighbor I am, I haven’t brought it up.

The apartment is still pretty empty, not for the lack of yard sailing and curb cruising. Anyone in LA County that has a box spring, bed frame, side table, lamp of any kind or coffee table, let me know. I’m not picky.

At least we don’t have to entertain by sitting on the floor picnic style like I did for NYE. Fraser’s mom gave us a couch and beautiful kitchen table to use.

Best. Roommate. Ever.

Especially if she remembers to turn the lights off when leaves a room. Ahem.

New ways to interrogate and identify with friends, family or perfect strangers

Are you tired of the doll-drum of generic meet and greets or family gatherings? Want to connect with the in-laws or vague family friends without having to rehash their trip to Istanbul for the umpteenth time?

After another hectic holiday season I incorporated a new line of question and answer to entertain not only myself, but avoid divulging too much personal information to perfect strangers. Just because you are genetically related to someone I hang out with does not give you liberty to analyze my career choices.

Maybe I found my passion waiting tables and cleaning-up after ungrateful rich children.

For the record, albeit I was born and raised in the fine state of Michigan, I do not care about any Ohio State versus Michigan State and/or the University of Michigan rivalries. I don’t follow sports, especially American football. Any attempt to incite a competitive reaction is made further moot by the fact that I now live in LA.

Besides, everyone knows that Ohio is Michigan’s sewage drain. As eloquently put by dear Aunt Marge, Those commie bastards.

Thus, I turn the tables onto my counter-part and ask what are their favorite albums of all time. This is similar to the desert island list or the "best music of the year" questions. This is specific to albums, not just artists which presents an interesting challenge.

Respondents are not allowed to pick greatest hit albums that conglomerate every single that an artist releases. Even compilations are a cop-out in my book, but can be admitted with enough conviction and fervor. In a day and age where MP3s are downloaded faster than artists can release music, this question is best made for people over the age of 15.

The real fun of the game is to learn about personal music taste. The answers are just that, personal lists about how certain albums by amazing artists influence someone you know. There are no right or wrong answers. Although disagreements, discussions and modifications are encouraged.

And yes, you only get five.

No matter how many people rave over the White Album or Abbey Road, my unapologetic favorite Beatles album is Sgt. Pepper and the Lonely Hearts Club Band. My affection is founded due to the cohesive nature of the album like a well orchestrated narrative. Yet, it is the opposite reason with the varied, dissimilar narratives that attract White album aficionados.

My list has been modified over time after hearing amazing lists with artists I had little to no exposure to or had plum forgotten. Jeff Buckley has made a fierce comeback on my playlists. David Bowie masterpieces and Demon Days by the Gorillaz have been rotated on and off my list depending on my mood that day.

Response times are always an intriguing indicator. Musicians seem to be able to throw out a list with rapid fire. Others widen their gaze and tell me how they are going to have to get back to me. Either response is legitimate.
Rapid fire is more fun though.

So here is my list in no particular order:
Disc I- Led Zeppelin
Hunky Dory- David Bowie
Sgt. Pepper and the Lonely Hearts Club Band- The Beatles
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill-Lauren Hill
Wincing the Night Away- The Shins

Deny what you will this is my list. David Bowie is part of my childhood so it pains me to pick just one. The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust often appears on my list instead. Disc II by Zeppelin is amazing throughout, but the nostalgic connotations with Disc I is too hard for me to part with. A Night at the Opera by Queen tries to sneak in, but I just can’t commit.

I lied about the order, Wincing the Night Away is my top album of all time. No explanation required.

Now it’s your turn. What’s your top five?

I would never kick this puppy

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Despite what might have been said, Gladys, I would only smother this puppy with love and kisses.