It’s August!
Watching the penguines...
It’s almost my 29th birthday! OMG! Turning 30 next year! (Where has time gone by?!)
It’s still summer!
It’s nice and warm outside!
We have had a great summer! We have become more familiar with the streets in our neighborhood, and the close by cities. We have checked out some of the beaches, and different restaurants. What can I say? Like it….
This summer we even had visitors from Norway. Two “groups” came over to see us! In the beginning of July Trond’s parents together with auntie and uncle, who were roadtrippin’ from Seattle throughout different states, stopped by our little recidence. They stayed in the city of Angeles for three days, and we got to show them Hollywood and Santa Monica before they left. Then Trond’s youngest sister and beau, Rebekka and John Audun, came and stayed for almost three weeks. They didn’t stay with us for three whole weeks, but they definitively checked out California. The golden triangle: L.A., Las Vegas & San Francisco, was on their menu. In addition to San Diego. We were together the whole time they stayed in L.A. obviously, but we also spent a weekend in San Diego together. In San Diego we visited the Wild Animal Park and Seaworld.
Dolphin @ Sea World
Both of the parks were great, but I have to say, Seaworld was really something else. The dolphins, amongst others, were amazing! Really too cute!
The nights in San Diego were spent on two different motel/hotels.. The first night was spent in Escondido, in the WORST motel ever! I hardly slept. I felt like I was in the movie “No country for old men”, and was laying in bed waiting for the guy with the oxygen tank (or whatever he was carrying around). I don’t think the room was properly cleaned up either. Filthy, old and disgusting! It didn’t help thatNorah didn’t sleep well either. She was feeling it too. Or she was feeling her mother’s feelings? Anyway, the last night in San Diego was spent downtown! San Diego is such a beautiful city! That night we went wining and dining at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse! Great food. Great service. Great company. Awesome waiters. Even dessert on the house for awesome Norwegians 
Yeah I know, we’re pretty amazing 
It was really sad when the “real” Norwegians left us for Norway…
That’s really the worst part about living far far away from everybody, when they’re leaving. Luckily they left us with awesome memories we wouldn’t been without!
Another thing that’s sad about living far away from family and friends in Norway, is that when it’s born a new cousin, you’re not able to greet and hold the little one. August 12th, a new baby boy in the Pettersen-family was born. Trond’s sister gave birth to a little prince. A BIG congrats to parents Siri, Paul, and big brother Viktor! Thank heaven for Skype! I bet, in a few years we also can feel & smell the ones we’re talking to over the internet as well… I obviously belive in the technology, that’s the advantage, or disadvantage you might say, of living with a n.e.r.d.
LA-life..
..is good life.. hot life.. laxed life.. Yeah! We still like it. Actually, let me rephrase that, because; LOVE it, is a more suitable term.
So I guess it’s time for a new blog! And here we go! A lot has happened since we picked Shelia up at the airport! And I’ll try to give a brief summary of the highlights
The dog has gone through some changes since she arrived. She has, pretty quickly, adjusted to the LA-life-style, she likes the heat and her strolls! The biggest change, except for the climate change, happened three weeks ago. Three weeks ago our lab’ got spayed! This is something that is required by law in California, if you live in a complex like we do. So now it’s settled: no puppies for Shelia. Kinda sad, but that was never our intentions anyway.
After the surgery, Sheila had to wear a collar for 2 weeks.
Since Shelia came over, she and Norah has developed a great friendship, a friendship they both enjoy. Maybe because Norah has a tendency to give Shelia whatever she’s eating? Nevertheless, the dog is certainly alert when Norah is eating a roll or a cookie! Shelia is “working” Norah by giving her THE eye (you know those irresistible eyes a dog can have, right?) whenever food is in the picture., saying: “Feed me, don’t you wanna feed me? Can’t you see I’m starving?” Regardless of whenever she got her meal. And Norah is giving in for Shelia’s strategy. Norah actually wants to give everything she eats to Shelia. Throwing food from her high chair onto the floor, saying: “Dila Dila!” Or just not saying anyhing at all.
It is really cute watching them together. Norah can almost do whatever she wants to do to her. That’s entertainment. Belive me. If it gets too though on Shelia, she just go to her hiding spot. Kinda saying : “this is no big deal, but I really want some privacy now, ok?” The arrogance from that dog is to touch and feel, while she’s acting it out..
As I mentioned earlier, Shelia had to get spayed.. Here it is actually recommended, while in Norway it is recommended not to do so. I think you have to have a really good reason for doing so in Norway. Furthermore, a spay-section is said to enhance the possibility for cancer in Norway, while in the States it is said to reduce the risk. So, what to belive? I guess we’ll have to trust the vets here in California! We don’t have a choice, do we? Who said that knowledge is static and not dynamic? You might argue, that the animal hospitals are more of a business here compared to Norway ~ for each surgery the hospital gets: money – money – money… On the other hand, USA is a bigger country, and probably have come further regarding research..
Well, that’s the biggest news Shelia-wise. A lot of other stuff has also happened. Fun stuff. Nice stuff. Weird stuff. The unormal happenings in the beginning has become our everyday life. The normal.
Playa Vista in "June gloom"-weather...
Me, Norah and Shelia has gotten our lives on track in Playa Vista. We have even met some of the local moms and their children. We’re participating a group which meet up once a week. We haven’t done too much of that yet, but the plan is to become more active. I have to say, putting Norah Frances in her stroller is really something else. Not “twenty” layers of clothing, including wool and raincoats ~ yeah, something else! Not having the apartment steaming from the dog and the stroller after taking the girls out for a stroll, is neither wrong! All we have to remember, for our strolls, is sunscreen, sunhat and sunglasses. (What a hazel, huh?)..Yeah, something else!
One week ago we went to San Diego. In San Diego we had a play-date with Trond’s Norwegian (!!) cousin and family: Hannah, Johan, Emma and Jorunn, in “San Diego Zoo“. What a great park! What a great company! We really enjoyed meeting some family, and someone who understands what’s it is like to move from Norway to the States. It is so fun to exchange experiences, experiences which are very alike after analyzing it: someone who interpret the American life as we do, sort of.
Well, that was just a digression. Anyway, we started out with a bus-ride throughout the park, this ride gave us the opportunity to see a lot, and pick out where we would like to go back, as well as funny comments from the bus-driver and information about the shows. After the bus-ride we went to see a tiger getting fed, but the day we went there, they changed the routine; so we could watch the tiger NOT getting fed. Of course. But we got some information about the tiger, and that made it worth participating anyhow. While at the park, we also got the chance to see an amazing bird show! It was so cool. That really left us speechless.
Elephant in San Diego zoo. Didn't take a picture of hippos in action 
After browsing the park, looking at koalas walking around (these bears sleep 22 out of 24 hours, so we caught them at the right moment), hippos making love (oh yeah.. in front of everybody.. they have no shame these animals… hehe), elephants eating etc, our time at the zoo was over. The distance between San Diego is about 2 – 3 hour. And to get home to get Norah to sleep at a normal hour, yeah and to be sure to tune in to our favorite tv-show: TRUE BLOOD, we could not stay any longer.
As you could see, here we’re talking about time, not miles, when we’re talking about distance.. (one of the first lessons Trond learnt we he arrived LA, and one of the first things he told me…). To give an example. When we drove, very early, from LA to San Diego, we spent approx. 2 hours on the distance, but when returning we spent approx. 3 hours… See? (The distance is the same as Stavanger – Bergen ++).
Trond and Norah at Santa Monica Pier.
This weekend we went to Santa Monica pier and Santa Monica beach! Just to browse and look at all the people and all the life! At the beach we even got to see some gymnastics work out. Pretty cool. Why work out inside when you can work out outside! Fresh air, people to watch you (..).. I guess that’s how they do it here. Maybe I should get my brother and his football over, have him work out at the beach for everybody to watch! I’m not sure he is UP to it though… Well, I’ll just say: “that’s how they do it in California ~ get used to it”
Shelia – the LA-dog!
Did I cause all this trouble?
Yeey! Shelia, our chocolate brown Labrador has arrived! Last Friday was a happy day. We finally got to see her again after weeks and weeks apart! Well, we have to say, not everything was in the happy category! Definitively not the-pick-the-dog-up-at-the-airport-part, but the part where she saw Trond, and the part where she saw me and Norah was truly a happy part
Trond took some time off from work to go pick Shelia up at the airport. He called a taxi, and was really excited to finally be together with our Labrador (and so was I).. So it was a bit disappointing that it took approx. four hours to get her home! I was expecting it to take some time, but I was surly not expecting it to take almost four hours! And Trond was not stuck in traffic – if he was it wouldn’t be that of a big deal, since we live pretty close to LAX, but it was bureaucracy and bad attitudes. Not from us, to make that clear 
When Trond came home and told me about his experiences I was so glad it wasn’t me and Norah who had to go pick Shelia up, as the original plan was. First of all the taxi driver had some difficulty finding the place where you can pick up animals. Secondly, Trond had to walk a big distance between customs and Lufthansa (the company flying our dog over), and he had to walk this distance back and forward. Very nice. Especially since it was next to the freeway. Well, when he finally reached the customs he didn’t meet the most service-minded people in the world. (Uhm, having a bad day at work or something, or maybe everyday is a bad day?)… Of course they had to argue! The first thing they pointed out was that we were missing a stamp on Shelia’s paper – even though the people representing Lufthansa said that they had everything confirmed orally. After a couple of phone calls and discussion everything with Shelia was ok, BUT now Trond was the one to be question marked. They didn’t belive it was his picture in the passport, and he had to show another identification.. I guess he thought he was pretty safe showing his driver’s license, but then they question marked that identification as well. They even asked if he had lost some weight.. I said to Trond afterwards; maybe it was an attempt to flatter you – to make everything ok Another thing that happened during this mess was that when Trond showed his passport a couple of dollars fell out… Not unnoticed by the customs, and he was accused for bribing… Somehow he came home with Shelia, so he must have done something right!
I guess you understand why I’m glad it wasn’t me who picked up Shelia.. Especially since I would have to bring Norah along..
What a day! Luckily all of this is HISTORY! Even though I was glad it wasn’t me who had to go through all that trouble, it was not particularly fun to be home knowing Trond went through all that!
LA-time = good time
Norah Frances liked this futurama styled chair... She was like; "Please buy this for me, mum and dad".
Time does certainly go by! Now me and Norah have been her over a week, Shelia arrives tomorrow and Trond has become a member of the Yahoo! team.
We have to say; so far so good! We are adapting the LA-way of living, which basically means
to buy, and soon drive, a big car (not a Volvo, not a Ford, but a Honda CRV is on its way to our residence), only wear a t-shirt and a shorts, eating cereal and look at palm trees. This is not bad for three Norwegians and their dog. We like it!
Last Sunday we went to the beach. The three of us L – to the – O – to the – V – to the ED it! And I have to say Norah Frances in particular. In the future, I think, we will have a problem getting her home from the beach. It was the sand, the shells, the ocean – the everything. She is becoming a beach girl!
Today we got our new sofa, from the sofa company. It is great to have one more piece of furniture! The company we bought it from also sold Stressless from Ekornes. No, we did not buy one, but it reminded us of Norway! How cool is that btw? In the picture you can see Norah sitting in a chair from the store! I find this picture as the cutest ever (proud mum, ah?
(to be continued….)
Complete Family
Stuck in L.A. traffic. Spent 2 hrs traveling 50 km.
Today, Guro and Norah arrived safe and sound in Los Angeles. Luckily, the immigration process went smoothly and did not take very long. I was actually able to greet them just over an hour after their flight had landed! Norah is now a US citizen and Guro is an immigrant to the US. Funny.
Since the last blog post I have been busy visiting family in Portland, OR and searching for apartments in L.A. We’ve ended up going for a 2 BR apt. in an apt. complex in Playa Vista, a newly developed area not too far south of Santa Monica. There should be practically no commute for me
I’ve also shopped for some furniture — which will arrive tomorrow, just in time for our move-in on Thursday. Next on the agenda – before my first day at Yahoo! on Monday 3rd of May – is to buy a car. Don’t know what we will settle for, but I guess it will be some kind of crossover like e.g. Ford Edge. Gotta live a little.
Santa Monica and Yahoo!
Santa Monica beaches.
My interview with Cobalt in Seattle last week obviously went well, as I did receive an offer for the web developer position that I was interviewing for. That, of course, made me very excited .
My impression of Cobalt is that they are very professional with a highly talented group of developers (at least the ones that gave me a hard time answering technical stuff).
Even after some negotiation, I ended up holding back in order to explore the other opportunities I had lined up, though.
I flew down to L.A. from Portland on April 11th for an interview with Yahoo! on April 12th and Internet Brands on April 13th.
First night was spent at a nice hotel in Santa Monica, close to Yahoo!’s office, and I am now at my second cousin’s place in the Valley.
The interview at Yahoo! turned out really great. It ended up taking most of the day (instead of the two hours I thought it would take), but ended very good.
In short, it looks like I will be joining Yahoo! Music‘s team of engineers in May! How sweet is that?!
I got a very good impression of the company and the Yahoo employees, and have high expectations. It will be great to work with such a professional crowd.
I was even certain enough to accept the offer before my scheduled interview with Internet Brands. I am pretty sure that it would have been exciting to work for Internet Brands too – after all, I have had several interviews with them and they too have left me with a good impression, but to me, personally, they wouldn’t have been able to compete with Yahoo! The interview process with Internet Brands did run smoothly, though.
I will be going back to Portland tomorrow in order to visit with the family there some more, before flying back to L.A. next Wednesday. I’ll then start looking for a place to stay, probably living out of an extended stay hotel (“leilighetshotell”) or something to begin with (so that Guro can be there when we pick the perfect rental).
Hopefully, we’ll be able to find something nice pretty close to the ocean, in areas like Santa Monica, Marina del Rey, El Segundo or Manhattan Beach.
Oh, and get a car. Cars, as you may know, are ridiculously cheap here in the US compared to Norway. Maybe I can even get myself a Volvo XC90 or Audi Q7 :p
Yup…very excited
Seattle
Parts of downtown Seattle. Taken from Waterfront with my crappy XPERIA X1.
Monday’s flight from Norway to the US went well. Flying through Iceland turned out to be an OK route as the main flight from Reykjavik to Seattle only took a “mere” 7.5 hrs.
I am still in Seattle and will be staying here until Friday when I am heading down to Portland, OR. I have my first interview tomorrow — with Cobalt. On Sunday, April 11th I fly down to Los Angeles where I will be having a couple more interviews. I plan to stay in L.A. for the entire next week. After that I’ll just have to see what happens.
It is very exciting, but I do miss Guro & Norah. Looking forward (!) to getting them over in a few weeks’ time….
Preparing for Take-Off
Just launched this blog in time for my departure from Norway tomrrow Monday, April 5th. I will be staying in Seattle from Monday – Friday, Portland during the weekend, and Los Angeles the week after. Looking forward to a lot of exciting experiences
Happy Easter!