So a few days ago I almost posted for Lisa that she'd be welcome to stay with me the weekend of the OC marathon and half. Then yesterday my roommate and I decided we might move. And not together! He's the best roomie ever (and I've got him biking, and then running, and he even swam with me the other day and I am close to getting him to do a tri), and the hardest part for me would be missing him. However, my original reasons to live in Irvine were in large part for martial arts, as my training is centered down there. And I'm no longer training as often in that area. And the 50 mile drive to work is starting to wear on me. I tried looking at some jobs closer to the OC, but am not really finding anything that sounds as fun, relaxed, and flexible (very important to me as well) as my current job. But like Libor posted, another big factor is being able to bike commute. And as Bad Ass as I like to try to be, a 60 mile each way commute just doesn't really fit in my day (yes, 60, the 50 is on highways).
So… I might be moving. Not really sure to where. Redlands (where I work) is just kinda in the middle of nowhere, and although I like it, I'm not sure I'd want to live here. Claremont has some of my closest friends, and a great community feeling. It also has a possible roommate (Holly, my best friend… but also a cat). It's about 30 miles from work, but also has metrolink train service I could use (from OC on that I wouldn't get to work til after 11 each day, so it wasn't feasible). And metrolink allows bikes, so I could do some combo transportation kind of thing. However, it's still 30 miles from work… and it is where I went to college, and doesn't have as nice of a pool (right now… more on that next paragraph). Or Rancho Cucamonga, which is where I was before Irvine. But I don't know people there, and although about 8 miles closer than Claremont for work, it was not ever really a home (just a transition spot between Redlands and Claremont).
Oh the other tricky part? Our lease needs to be resigned by Monday if we are going to stay where we are! Or we need to figure out if signing a month to month (very $$) or 7 month (pretty $$) or 12 month (but then a long commitment.
And I had a great swim the other day. 7:30 at night, outside. In the warmest pool I've ever been in (too warm, actually). At the Claremont Colleges, and their swim coach and a friend of mine (athletic trainer for the schools) let me in. I hear the swim coach is considering starting a master's program, and I'd love to move to Claremont and help get that started… so that got me thinking of really moving there. I mention to my roommate, and he says he wants to move into LA at some point in the nearish future. So our paths will definitely split at some point… but how soon?
Just look what a good swim can do!