Beginning a blog is hard. I am not truly sure where to begin! So… let’s take it way back. DJ and I began dating the summer of my freshman year of high school and summer of his sophomore year. We became exclusive January 2010. Maybe one day I will blog about our journey. I believe with my whole heart that God led us to each other. Anyways, we finally got hitched last August (2015). We are coming up on one year and I reflect remembering the absolute best memories of my life. I am bursting with a thankful heart for this man and this first year. When DJ graduated from college I still had one year left to receive my nursing degree. He graciously stayed in a little town in Indiana with me while I received my BSN. He decided during that time that he would like to pursue law school. I do not remember specifically coming to the actual decision that “Yes- we are moving to California”. I think it was more of a general consensus that we both were down with taking on a new challenge, a new place, and a new life. This is full on cheese, but I sincerely feel I can face anything if I have him by my side. So here we are. Yes- it is new, crazy, foreign, and it is FUN. In a week of being here I have learned a ton. For example:
- In California (or at least the Bay area), you are green whether you wanna be or not. Good thing I am a recycling junkie. At stores they will charge you for bags, so you best bring your own. The first time we were at a cash register, and I realized everyone had bags but us, I said, “Oh no Hun, we forgot our bags again” to DJ. I think the cashier bought that, yes, we just simply forgot our bags, although we did not own a single one- and I think I’m a comedian. Also ALL bags are paper. But I’m cool wittt it.We did do a Bucca di Beppo order out and about fell on the floor when we received a plastic bag. No worries though: WE FINALLY HAVE BAGS!
- U-turns galore. Do not turn right on red before checking if someone is making a U-ey. Yep- we learned that from experience. By experience I mean headlights in your eyeballs type close calls. But we are alive and well and never actually got in a crash… yet.
- Don’t drive from the hours of 8:00 am to 10:00 am. Or from 3:00 to 6:30 pm on the highways. You will regret it.
- Want to start a company? Come to the promise land of start-ups. I am constantly thinking, “Why didn’t I think of that?”- There is a great deal of diversity, and I love it. I am always fascinated by other cultures and have a desire to explore the unique aspects of each. People in the area are generally so friendly and courteous- even if you can’t understand what the other is saying. At least I think they are being friendly..
- In our area in Cupertino everyone is genius. Nope, I am not exaggerating. Everyone even sounds smart. You know what I mean? Like using the hardest SAT vocab words in everyday lingo. <— Note the fragment- I do not fit in. You just get this vibe that everyone is, I don’t know, about to do a Rubik’s cube with their eyes closed or on the brink of curing cancer. I walked by an apartment and I think a three-year-old was multiplying triple digits out loud. And here I am, just trying to figure out how to assemble our TV console.*EYE ROLL*. Time to bring out my word of the day calendar.
– Potatoes aren’t a thing here apparently?! For example- one night went to a vietnamese restaurant in Mountain View (which was AMAZING), and the waitress said the reason the peppercorn beef was her favorite dish was because of potatoes. We laughed so hard- that is such a midwest staple that the thought of it “making” the dish blew our minds.
**SIDE NOTE: If you have never had Vietnamese food, you need to. We went to a place called Xanh that we found on zomato. We ordered calamari, that peppercorn beef (WITH POTATOES!) for da hubs, and shrimp rolls for myself. Also a side of garlic noodles which I am convinced were shipped down from heaven. Good Lord, was it tasty. I should have taken pictures, but I was too darn hungry to think of that.
This is a few of the things I have experienced in my week and a half of living in Cupertino, CA. I love it. I have told DJ I have never been happier, more excited, or more elated about a stage of life and I mean it. Well, I better get back to that TV Console for now.
Wishing you lots of love, joy, and coffee.
<3 xo
Mack
You have a wonderful way of narrating your story. Interesting read with a generous amount of humor. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Thanks for reading, Amitav! Narrating my life in a humorous way allows me to not take myself too seriously and helps me approach life, even the hard stuff, in a different way. This has not always been the case and I’m so glad to know others are enjoying it!
Always a pleasure. Yes I agree with you completely, I know the journey can become easy when you approach it with a positive mindset.
I like your amazing understanding of life and the positivity you carry.
Best wishes to you.
Thank you for the uplifting words- same to you!
You are welcome.
Oh Mack, I’m so glad I read this. ☺ What a sweet life you have, and I’m really happy that you and DJ found each other. Much loving to you both and to your blog!
Blessings,
Debbie 🌼
Aww, Debbie, thank you!!! You are such a kind soul. I am so thankful you found it as it led me to your beautiful thoughts!!! Blessings to you as well <3
When following you I should have started at the beginning.
Hehe it may take a while so I won’t hold you to it 😉
I didn’t know DJ was your HS sweetie, awww. Did you ever write the post on your journey?! I’d love to read it.
Also, that’s crazy that they only have paper bags in Cali. I didn’t know that but it is really awesome. & I think it was just weird for the Asian dish to have potatoes because we rarely use them. I never had potatoes in my house as a kid & I’ve never had a peppercorn beef with them either lol.
YES!! Actually- I don’t think I ever have done a post on that?! Great idea for a post though! I do have one about our engagement, but not our actual story. https://mackmarie.com/2016/12/22/our-engagement-3/
You are sweet to even care. Haha!
And that is SO funny about potatoes- because they are in nearly every single meal we had growing up.
Oh it was YOUR idea lol at the beginning of this post, you said maybe one day you’d blog about your guys’ journey hahah. I’ll def read that engagement post right now though. ;D
Bahaha- so that was my first post EVER and I just re-read it and yes, yes I guess I did suggest that. Too funny!!
Now I know where it all began and now you are about to move to Texas … thank you for passing this link on to me Mackenzie. I had been at your blog before (and I see you changed your home page since I was here originally … I think it was flowers before?) I did this when I first followed you because I wanted to know why you had left your nursing job and began your masters degree – you had alluded to your prior job. You two are not only sweet, but a couple of romantics – I like that. I like that you have a bowl where you have clipped all the heads of the roses that DJ has sent you to date … you mentioned it in a blog post once and said you would touch on that later … I didn’t want to neglect to comment on that sweet tradition, so I am commenting now. Interesting … “Save water, drink wine” … I will have to share that with Robb (my boss, the Cabernet Sauvignon lover).
Aw Linda, this comment warmed my heart!!! Thank you so much for taking the time to walk down memory lane for a second with me! And you are right- I did just change my logo for the first time in three years! I felt like it was time for an upgrade.
Awww we can be a bit “mushy” at times-tehe- thank you for your support of us!! <3
Hehe- I bet Robb will get a kick out of it! I know I did! Thanks again for stopping in, Linda 🙂
I thought it was a different theme or logo since last time I stopped in. I think it is nice to be “mushy” or sentimental sometimes … the world is becoming too hard and impersonal so it is good to see there is still some sentimentality left in the world. I have to tell him – sometimes I talk to him several times a day on the phone, and sometimes we just e-mail back and forth all day. It’s been a lot of e-mails this week. Or I’ll just type out a note and print it out at the xerox machine for him to read and he answers on the paper and scans it back to me … we have been communicating like that for many years now. (We don’t get in each other’s hair that way – I’ve not seen him since October of 2012).
I always love your attention to detail and how intentional you are Linda– it’s really refreshing <3 Your comments are some of my favorite. I agree that the world is becoming too impersonal and even shallow-- it can be disheartening. I am thankful every day to have DJ. It's been a blessing to grow up together and still love each other even after all these years! (We started dating in 2010).
I love that you and your boss still stay in touch! You'll have to let me know what he says if you are able to get it to him!
Thank you for saying that Mackenzie – it is disheartening to see the state of the world … you are very fortunate to have found someone so special, a soul mate. In this day and age, it is rare and people seem to throw their relationships away for such petty things. I was just reading about the dissolution of the Bezos marriage … it left me shaking my head quite frankly. I have to tell Robb – every time I’ve spoken to him lately, a client has been in the room and I’ve been on the speaker. He is all about the wine – never was until a favorite client took him on a one-week tour of wine country as his treat for resolving a huge strike on his freighters. So he came back all full of wine info and subscribes to all kinds of e-mails and publications to learn more.
I totally agree <3 I think it's hard for people to date these days, especially in an age of access and technology. The "grass is greener" syndrome seems very real.
A trip through wine country will convert anyone to be a wine lover- that is for sure!! I'd love to hear some of his winery recommendations. My sister is coming in town and we are planning a trip- although we may do a trip from SF like I did with Kelsey (and they choose the wineries for you). Either way-- I always love hearing others' insight!
I will ask him for his insight for you Mackenzie … I finally was speaking to him on the way home after a long week. He was busy telling me a story and the line was dead. I waited to see if he came back, he didn’t and I called back and the line was busy. He probably just thought I was a good listener. 🙂
Hahaha, that’s too funny! I have had that happen before… I talk on and on and on then suddenly realize I didn’t hear the typical “mmmhmm!” on the other end for a while. You are a good listener though- so it doesn’t seem far fetched for him to think it was just that!
And I’ve been talking to him at work and he puts me on the speaker (hate that because I think he is not paying attention to what I’m saying) and one time I was asking a question and no answer … he went to the bathroom, came back but was too late as I hung up.
Oh no!!!! That’s no bueno! Not the most respectful way to have an exchange on his part. Sorry that’s happened, but you are kind to still maintain that friendship.
Thank you – yes I admit it annoys me … a lot!
hahah I bet!