A Bad Case of the Meows

If you know me, you know I'm crazy about my cat. And I have good reason to be: Nala is delightful! (She enjoys people, loves to snuggle, plays fetch...I could go on and on.)

However, as of late, she's developed two less-than-delightful habits:

1. She's desperate to go outside. 

Anytime the door opens, the furball tries to escape (and is often successful.) When I leave, I either (a) have to physically hold her back or (b) throw a toy to distract her and make a run for it. When I come home, I have to put everything down, open the door slowly and catch her before she starts to bolt. Sometimes, before a big shopping trip, I'll sequester her in our bedroom/bathroom to avoid the hassle. (Don't worry; she has access to food, water and her litter box, and it's never for more than an hour or two.) Also, she is spayed, so I don't think she wants to go outside to find a boyfriend.

2. She won't stop meowing about it. 

Most of the time, the meowing fits are only a few minutes. But sometimes, they can last upward of an hour, if she's truly feeling persistent. She has plenty of food...she doesn't have a medical problem...she simply wants out. According to Google, I should either (a) ignore her, which sometimes works, or (b) distract her, which has stopped working. I used to be able to lure her away from the door with a toy. Now, it seems nothing is as interesting as the prospect of going outside. The neighbors have to be hearing her, which is my big concern.

I do make an effort to let kitten experience the Great Outdoors. I take her out on a leash about once a week. She hates her harness, but does pretty well once she's outside. (We had actually just returned from a walk when I took that video.) Also, we have a small balcony where I used to let her play. (But that stopped after our neighbor nearly had a heart attack watching her climb the railing.)  I know lots of people have indoor/outdoor cats, but unfortunately, it's not an option for us. Our apartment complex sits on top of a canyon where coyotes live, so it's not safe for her to roam free.

Fellow cat lovers, I need you. Any advice to make Nala content staying in the house?

(Proofreading this post, I wonder if she's just one spoiled cat...)

Mommy and Nally fast asleep (How could I stay mad at her?)

Practice Port Visit

Solomon always says, "You join the Navy to see the world, right?" I feel like he adds the "right" at the end because he's trying to convince himself. He's been in the surface community six months now, and the only mountains he sees are made of paperwork. Still, he shouldn't worry. Whatever your reason for joining the Navy, you will definitely see the world.

Here's proof: During his four years at the Naval Academy, he traveled more than most people do in a lifetime. (He went to California, Hawaii, Spain, Germany, China...I'm sure I'm missing a few.) He'll have opportunities to travel in the fleet, too, especially on deployment. From time to time, the ship will stop at ports in cities around the world. It's a chance for sailors to step foot on dry land, let off some steam and experience a new culture. So what's in it for me? Sometimes, spouses can visit, too. 

Last week, Sol's ship docked at a base in Seal Beach, California (about two hours north of San Diego, just south of LA.) Seal Beach is a quaint town...lots of little shops and restaurants, plus a beach and boardwalk, all in easy walking distance. I figured, why not check it out? So I Hotwired a room and away I went.

This mini-vacation hardly counts as a port visit. (I didn't even leave Southern California.) But it got me thinking: If I had the chance to visit Solomon overseas when he's deployed, would I go?

Cons

It's a whole lot of travel for very little time. A brief summary of my time at Seal Beach: After spending a few hours in my hotel room, Sol finally finished working at 6 p.m. We went out to dinner, grabbed ice cream and saw the sights until 9. We headed back to the hotel, watched some YouTube, and he was dead asleep by 10. If you're doing the math, I spent more time driving than I spent with my husband awake. It's essentially the same ratio for a port visit: You might spend an entire day flying halfway around the world to spend just a few days with your spouse. You're barely over the jet lag, and it's already time to leave.

It's inconvenient. This is our first deployment, so truthfully, I don't know exactly know how this works. Basically, Solomon or the ombudsman will let me know what city and which dates the ship will be in-port. Because the ship's schedule is always changing, I may only have a few weeks or even a few days to plan my trip. At my last job, there's no way I could have gotten vacation time with that short of notice. And what if you have kids? (Or cats?) This is why a lot of couples chose to skip the port visit and plan a trip on their own terms for when the sailor gets back instead.

It's expensive. They say deployment is a great time to save money, but I see how one port visit could throw this out the window. Booking at the last minute, you might be able to snag some deals, but you're also at the mercy of the airlines. Plus, you have to pay extra for trip insurance.

Pros

It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. When else will I have the chance to visit Thailand or Australia or Portugal? (All completely hypothetical...I have no idea where Solomon's ship will stop.)

It makes me happy. It makes him happy. For me, the Seal Beach trip made my week a lot less lonely. For Solomon, it was a chance to sleep in a comfy bed 10 times the size of his rack. Win-win.

Frankly, I could afford to be a little more spontaneous. 


Here are some shots we took in Seal Beach:

The soap is shaped like a seal! Get it?

I wouldn't recommend it. My entrée was gross. (Yet again, who orders CALAMARI SPAGHETTI?! I plead temporary insanity.)

My little seal friend

Seal Beach, CA

Yay!

Boardwalk at night

What a stud.

An artsy fartsy picture I took of a lamp post

Murphy's Law: Military Style

We've all had those days where the universe seems to go out of its way to give us a hard time. However, ever since I've joined the Navy community, other wives have told me this is especially true before your husband goes on deployment. When I took the COMPASS class (Navy 101 for spouses), it seemed like every woman in the room had a horror story. One's car died as soon as she dropped him off at the pier. Another came home to find her dog had eaten an entire Easter basket of chocolate.

I didn't know if their stories made me want to laugh or cry. But it's not like it's fate, I thought to myself. It's just coincidence.

How naive I was. (Read on.)

Solomon left today as part of his military obligation. Unfortunately, I can't share the details of where he's going or how long he'll be gone (because, say it with me, "Loose lips sink ships.") Basically, he'll be away a few weeks for training, come back to San Diego for a hot second, then embark on a several-month-long deployment.

Here's what happened- in a span of an hour- the night before he left: 

1. A pen exploded in the dryer. Solomon's work pants have these huge pockets on the sides, and he stuffs them to the brim. (Spare change...notebooks...his lunch...it's amazing what he fits in there.) Anyway, he left a pen in his pocket and, sadly for us, we didn't realize it until the very end of the laundry process. Our dryer was streaked top to bottom with blue ink. Luckily, with a little rubbing alcohol and a lot of patience, most of it came off. (I've also dried a few loads since then that seem to be fine.) Still, our poor dryer will never look the same.

2. The IRS rejected our tax return. After much debate about how to file our taxes (I like old-school pen and paper; he thinks that's embarrassing), we decided on TaxSlayer. We submitted our return about a week ago and got a confirmation email a few days later. Well, at least I thought it was a confirmation email...I never opened it. (::hangs head in shame::) It was actually a notice letting us know the IRS had rejected our return. They claim my birth date and social security number are not the same as the information the IRS has on record. WHAT? We tried submitting it twice more, and both times, rejected. Naturally, they can't handle this over the phone, so I have to physically go to the Social Security Office in San Diego. I'm going to try my best to resolve the issue before it comes to that, but again, WHAT?

3. There are rocks in the garbage disposal. As part of some team-building exercise, Solomon and his co-workers played paintball last week. He came home looking like the Swamp Thing and tracked mud all over my freshly mopped entryway. I glared at his boots, caked with dirt, and said, "You're going to clean those before you leave, right?"

So of course, Sunday night rolls around and there sit the boots, dirty as ever. In hindsight, I should have let it go. (He's going to sea, for goodness sake.) But I didn't. And he went to clean the boots. But I never imagined he'd do it in the kitchen sink. Outside? No. On top of newspaper? No way. Where we wash the dishes we eat off? Bingo. As he put on the disposal to wash the dirt away, we heard them: a million little rocks banging around under the sink. We've already put in a maintenance request.

It could always be worse, right?

He's a pain in the butt, but I'm still going to miss him!

Ohioisms

Today marks my six-month anniversary as a California "resident." This is hard to believe...not because the time has flown by, but because I just don't feel like a Californian. I'm the first to admit it: I haven't embraced the Golden State like I should because I'm (still) terribly homesick for Ohio.

Ohio gets a bad rap, but I swear it has lots of redeeming qualities! (They have the prettiest license plates, even though they're about to change, and the best roller coasters on Earth.) Also, not everyone talks with an accent. (Not that there's anything wrong with an accent...I just like having non-regional diction.) Still, just because I speak like Veronica Corningstone doesn't mean I don't sound like I'm from Ohio. Here are some uniquely Ohio/Midwest phrases:


Pop- (n.) a soft drink
Why use two syllables and call it "soda" when you can just say "pop?"

Buggy- (n.) a basket on wheels used for shopping; often called a shopping cart
When I'm done putting the groceries in the car, will you please put the buggy in the buggy return?
NOTE: My husband is not a native Ohioan, and he hates this term. So I try to use it as often-- and as loudly-- as possible when we're at the store. "SOLOMON, are you getting the buggy or should I?" "Where did you leave the buggy" "Someone took our buggy!"

Out to Lunch- (adj.) too confused to function
That cashier was out to lunch; she forgot to give me change!
NOTE: This has been one of my great frustrations in California: I use this expression, and no one understands! But I honestly don't know any other phrases to express this sentiment. Help?

Life of Riley- (exp.) living a life of leisure; carefree; lazy
My brother is living the Life of Riley. All he did today was play video games and watch YouTube. 


Do you use or have you heard these phrases? What sayings are unique to your state?

Jason Wu for Target- The Haul!

I've never been much of a fashionista. I don't go gaga for shoes, and I usually skip through the fashion editorials in Marie Claire. But lately, I've realized you can take inspiration from the runway and apply it to your everyday outfits. It doesn't have to be literal.

Enter Jason Wu for Target. I was particularly excited about this collaboration. Jason Wu is Michelle Obama's favorite designer, and I adore Mo's clean, classic style. (Plus, I have a little thing for Taiwanese-Americans)

I scoped out the collection online and decided on three must-have pieces. After one weekend and visits to seven area Targets, I'm happy to say I found them all. (Note to self: Next time, just wake up early for the actual launch and save yourself the time and gas.) Here are the pieces and three looks I put together:

Poplin Dress- Jason Wu for Target ($39.99)

Sandals- Sperry

I have this dress pinned in the back...I could only find a 6, but would probably do better with a 4. Still, I couldn't pass it up: I love the beautiful shape it creates and the nautical colors. There are some drawbacks...it's a lint magnet, and ironing those pleats ain't easy. But again, the flaws are easy to overlook. Seriously, it looks like something from Lilly Pulitzer, only $200 less. Plus, I'm a sucker for pockets. (Even my wedding dress had them.)

Chiffon Dress- Jason Wu for Target ($39.99)

Boots- Ellen Tracy 

This dress has wonderful movement and can easily take you through spring, summer and fall. (And even winter, if you live in California.) The belt is my favorite part: Surprisingly nice quality, and the mustard color is on-trend. Be careful...this dress runs big. (This is an XS, and it's a tent without the belt.) Check it out on Mrs. O!

Cat Tee- Jason Wu for Target ($19.99)

Blazer- Forever 21

Skinny Jeans- The Limited

Heels- BCBG

Every cat lady needs a cat shirt. Needless to say, I love it. One drawback: it's quite see-through. Also, check out the photo bomber in the back of this picture. (Just like in the Jason Wu for Target commercial!)

I didn't love everything in the collection, especially the blouses with floppy bows. (High-fashion on some. Frumpy on me.) A lot of reviewers on Target's site complained about fabric quality, but hey, what do you expect? Overall, I found it sleek and fun, but am glad I didn't go overboard and kept my purchases to three.

Thoughts?

Let's try this again.

Confession: This blog is old. Almost a year old, in fact. I started it last March, before I was even living a life of Lu. So why haven't I done any blogging? I've had plenty of experiences to write about. (Getting married and moving cross country, just for starters.) Was I too busy? Not really. Lack of motivation? Not even.

I figured it out tonight as I opened my laptop, determined to get this blog off the ground. See those buttons to the right linking to my social networks? Yeah, took me about two hours. (There are probably third graders who know more about HTML than I do.) Simply put, if it's not perfect, I don't want to look at it. I've always been this way, whether it was laying out my high school newspaper or nitpicking every detail of my wedding album.

Frankly, it's time to get over this. I recently started working as a freelance writer, helping businesses turn outdated Web copy into something fresh and conversational. I've learned that while Web design is extremely important, quality content is what's going to resonate with readers and sell products and services. It's the same with personal blogs, too.

A lot has changed since this empty blog was born. Those of you who know me know the title is inaccurate; I decided to keep my maiden name. (Not for any profound reason. I just like my name. It might change one day, when there are little Lu's. But for now, it's still London.) Also, I chose the title "Life of Lu" so Solomon and I could blog together. However, I now realize it's more likely my cat will write a blog than my husband. Still, it took way too long to figure out how to make the background on that title graphic transparent. So "Life of Lu" it is.

Anyway, thanks so much for reading and taking an interest in our life. For the record, I promise to write more. (But please hold me to it.)