I'm back from LA and in a brief reflection, let me sum up the things I've learned:

1.) My dream job exists, and it exists in many forms. Whew.

2.) I can make my fortune in NYC rather than LA and still pursue my dream job.

3.) I'm a badass driver.*

*with the aid of a GPS device

I went to LA fearing that I'd be told it was the only place where I'll have the chance to work in music. True, LA is THE epicenter of film, so film music probably won't be an opportunity outside of LA. But NYC is a mecca for music and even tv, and I was encouraged by many head haunchos that I could find success in NYC. Massive sigh of relief.

LA is not an unfriendly place. I exchanged smiles with more strangers than I can remember and even had a random chat or two with Assistants and and fellow lost wanderers in parking garages. However, more than NYC, I feel that LA is a place where a book is judged by its cover. Look cool or die trying. I'm sure many do.

I loved that LA had guitar shops everywhere. Guitar Center, Sam Ash, McCabe's, and more! McCabe's didn't have the ukulele of my dreams, but it did have an Irish bouzouki. When I saw The Magnetic Fields perform at Lisner Auditorium, Stephen Merritt used a string instrument that sounded clangy like a mandolin but resounded like a guitar. And now (hurrah!) I know its name. Bouzouki, be mine? After I get a job, after I get a job.

Speaking of music, I posted a new song on my Myspace that I actually recorded with Pro Tools and some decent gear. Some of it was recorded or written in haste, but I'm overall happy with it. I'm seeing two nights of the Georgetown's Festival In-Residence "Schubert, Schubert, Schubert" concert this weekend. It's apparently a big deal and features the Auryn Quartet. I'm excited to hear some Haydn live!

Alright. Back to the grind. After next Tuesday, I hope to follow through on promises to hang out with people! Get ready.

Since I last wrote, things are looking up. I met with a librarian and secured a dataset from the International Telecommunications Union. Massive sigh of relief. I've seen the data put to work in recent articles too. Did you know that 60% of the world owns a cell phone? I'll be cranking out some research next week as my March 24th deadline nears, but for now, I'm trying to relax as much as I can.

This week is Georgetown's Spring Break, and I'm in LA for GEMA's (Georgetown Entertainment & Media Alliance) week-long networking event. While friends are skiing in fresh Colorado powder or tanning in Costa Rica, I'm braving the concrete jungle. So far the driving hasn't been too terrible. I'm armed with a trusty GPS and more importantly, I've got my mom in the passenger seat. She won't be with me the whole week, but it's nice to have her here with me for a little bit.

LA isn't really the type of place where you can just "walk around." It's barely the type of place where you can just drive around. I knew that coming in, but still wasn't quite prepared for the landscape I was confronted with. Even so, the weather is beautiful and I'm hoping to squeeze in some fun while I'm here. I'm stopping into McCabe's Guitar Shop today for some fun browsing of folk instruments.

I better get going. The concrete jungle awaits...