Evil Drives a BMW

Celebrity Sighting: Cuba Gooding Jr, Mexican restaurant getting take-out. Cool hat.

Just checked out Point Dume in Malibu with my friend Scott today. Nice spot. Also good for photo opps such as the gem to the left. Some version of a Heat-miser comment will probably occur to you, but I'm not sure it should be shared....or maybe it should. Oh, how I enjoy pictures that are not standard. Thanks, Scott!

I know you're all really holding your breath about UCLA tuition....UCLA is hiking fees (not tuition....read on) 33% next year, after raising it something like 45% over the last two years. This is in reaction to budget cuts at the state level. Let's cut your budget by a few hundred million dollars and, ah, well, you'll figure it out. Seems sound. I'm actually not fundamentally against cutting some of the dollars going to UC, there's quite a bit of inefficiency that could use cleaning up. However, a bureaucracy doesn't try to make things more efficient, nor would it even know how to approach such a concept. It's a little tough that the cuts come in such a large chunk, though.
Anyhow, there were pretty major protests on campus the other day outside the Board of Regents meeting. Sirens going all day (which is normal since we're near the hospital, but seemed like more), helicopters, etc. People have made their feelings known. I lit myself on fire.

Things don't feel like they're being managed very well in this very large state.

It's weird, when you look at the UC education costs, it lists University fees for CA residents at around $8500, and tuition at zero. Is that like a handling fee or something? What the heck? Free shipping, but we'll charge you $8,500 in handling fees. By the way, non-resident tuition is $22,000, in addition to the "fees". http://www.registrar.ucla.edu/fees/gradfee.htm
I guess it's nice they break it down so I can see where my fees go. There's even a seismic fee, which as you can guess I find reassuring. By the way, I think UC costs about as much as UWisconsin, now. Education is highly subsidized in CA. Or at least, it was....

By the way of the way, where I work, we get no state funding, and we're not needing to raise class costs. However, we have the privelege of taking paycuts....taking it for the team....good times.

On a lighter note....my friends Karen and John visited a couple of weeks ago. Great times, there. I took a couple of days off work and we went to several touristy locations including the likes of Griffith Observatory, Rodeo Drive, and the Pacific Coast Highway. They wanted to go to Whiskey-a-go-go on Tuesday eve, but alas, it was closed. We were then beckoned into the Cat Club next door, where we were told there would be music. We walked in, it was quiet, and everyone was looking at us, including the female singer and male guitar player. I kept saying, "What the heck is going on, here?" until finally someone told me they were shooting a movie. The someone was a director. OHHHHHHHHHHH, I get it. So, these are extras, and we're about to be extras! All the other extras were about 20, so I suspect we'll end up on the cutting room floor, but still! Did I mention it was a Disney movie? I guess it's called, "Feel", athough I've seen nothing on it. If you google disney and feel, you get all manner of stuff, the ickiest of which is "radio disney - feel my body." That's wrong on so many nice, neat, prissy levels. If the economy doesn't improve, disney porn is next. Fall of civilization, here we come!

Anyway, I digress, digest, delude, and diverge.

So! It was very nice and a little surreal to have Karen and John here. It was like two realities converging. We had lots of fun and they got to be in the warm. There was something Karen was insisting I blog about, maybe it was the movie, but I'm not sure now.....talk about a true Hollywood experience, though. By the way, for my protest, I went on down to Hwood to get some protective gels and clothing. No worries. That's why I moved here. Access to protective fire gels and clothing for my protest activities, to have a Louis Vuitton bag with a small dog in it, and to get something injected or enlarged.

What else?

Anything else?

I got nothing. Except, evil does indeed drive a BMW. I understand there's something about the way it's engineered, but somehow they always seem to be speeding and weaving. There is quite a bit of evil in LA....sometimes even in a minivan. Oh! Now my sister has a minivan! Laurie!!!!

Happy Day of Football and Triptophan. :)

Baby News....

I'm a tante (aunt in German) again! Jameson Ronald Phan was born Oct. 18 about 8 a.m. 6 lbs, 13 oz. James is my Grandpa's name, Ronald my Dad's. I got lots of holding time yesterday, lots of good faces and general spasms. I also got to spend nearly two whole days with Maddie while sis and bro-in-law were in the hospital, which was very cool. Sis is doing pretty great. :)

To give you a sense of life in California. Somewhere in the recording I think it should say something like "holy sh**************t!, but that might be too realistic.

Life-list Stuff!

I’m still reeling from the events of the past couple of weeks. Shortly after seeing the Dalai Lama, I saw Mr. I’ll Be Back, Mr. It’s Not a Tumor, Mr. Hasta La Vista Baby, da Governor. I was at the AltCar Show in Santa Monica talking up the sustainability certificate program at UCLA, and who should I see walk by, but Arnold. He looked about as I would have expected him to. I gazed on his Calleadershipness for approximately 1.2 seconds. That was plenty. I also saw the only woman from Baywatch without large breasts, who made a movie called “Who Killed the Electric Car?”. Maybe there’s some additional commentary to be added there, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. I was talking to her trying to place her in that way you do when you think you met them before but then realize they were on TV (you get that a lot around here). I really wanted to ask her, “Did you ever make out with David Hasselhoff?” as a way of confirming her identity, but just couldn’t bring myself. I mean, I would think she’s heard it all before, and I wasn’t sure that was unique enough to actually say out loud. However, I made myself laugh.

Last week I had the privilege of seeing Dr. Jane Goodall as well. She is such a neatoniftycool kind of person. She really did have a calm, strong presence and spoke very well about issues facing people & animals around the world. I almost cried a few times. She also did some chimp-language. I wasn’t expecting that, and thought it was spectacular. She was also very humble, the kind of person who realizes that she worked hard for what she wanted, but also had a bit of luck and circumstance in her corner, so doesn‘t pound on her chest to show how great she is. She said, “why me?” a couple of times. Now, THAT’s a true celebrity in my opinion!

Wait, I didn’t say anything about the Dalai Lama! Also a true celebrity in my estimation. What a cute guy. I know, it’s weird to say about a holy man, but it’s just too true. I went with Sue and Jonathan, superb companions for the day. He spoke in decent English about the four noble truths, about how there’s room for all religions if people are nice (my way of summarizing), and then had a translator do the rest. Highlights include him putting on a maroon-colored visor to block out some of the spotlight lighting (perfectly matched his robes), and freely and casually teaching, including terrific harrumphs and throat-clearing, and laughing from the heart (you could just tell). It was really interesting to watch the crowd as well….all manner of dress, all manner of observation. Some were hands in pray-position touching various significant spots from head to gut and then kneeling and putting their foreheads to the floor, and some were wishing for HH (his holiness) to come over and do some super-healing on kneecaps. Or is that only televangelists? And was that only me?

Another way exciting thing is it’s close to delivery day for seester, who’s having a boy anytime now. I’m on call for Maddiesitting. Maddie will be big sister, now. I’ll have a talk with her about appropriate older sister behavior and shenanigans. I promise I won’t tell her about a certain haircutting incident.

To summarize, what a crazy life I lead. It’s not really crazy, but it feels crazy from how I ever imagined it when I was younger. I mean, if I’m not married with offspring pursuing some career goals, what am I supposed to be doing? I guess this is it! Spending a lot of time wondering what’s next, and wishing to go all over the world, doing whatever I can to bring people together. Wait. Did I type that out loud? Ah, I’m so inspired when I think of the true celebrities of the world I just got to witness (add my sis to that list).

Ciao, babies!

Day of Peace

Long time.

So, I'm frazzled. More on that later.

Here are a couple pictures from the Day of Peace I just volunteered for through the Jane Goodall Institute. I directed volunteers a little and helped answer questions. I got to fly the lead dove in the Peace Dove Parade behind a marching band. I was jiving. Love those drums! The dove was signed by Jane Goodall. Next to me gently shielded by my expert wing flying was Marilu Henner, our celebrity host for the day. There were also bands there, most of whom seemed to be offspring of celebrities like Jane Seymour and Ricki Lake. One kid, spawned from a Commodore, about 12 yrs old, rocked it up....sounded about 40 and played guitar amazingly well. 007 once-removed was standing within ass-pinching distance of me at one point. Can you spot him in the photo? I also saw Cary Elwes, of Princess Bride fame. He was rather hip looking. But it wasn't about the celebritites, it was about the kids. It gave me great hope that so many kids are into teaching others the value of our earth and doing positive things. They said the most difficult thing for them is trying to get adults to change their habits. Interesting. Anyhow, good times on the Santa Monica Pier. Sun, music, and happy dappiness.

http://internationaldayofpeace.org/news_and_updates/

Wouldn't it be fun to have the resources to run around volunteering for everything or doing cool events?

Frazzled: UCLA is cutting our already meager pay. I still do enjoy the programs I work on, but the energy is slowly getting sucked from me by the bureaucracy and a new boss who is a micromanager control freak type who runs around sighing all day saying how much she has to do and treats me like I'm 20 instead of someone with 20 years experience. It's great. I'm also tired of eating road and breathing exhaust. Now I know where the word "exhausted" comes from (insert drum sound indicating joke). I really enjoy riding my bike to work, but am sick of getting particles in my eyes and the stank of it. When I got home yesterday, I had to re-wash the dishes and wipe the black layer of crap off the kitchen counter. What the hell is that? Perhaps it's someone using the darn leaf-blower to "clean" dirt from the driveway, or perhaps it's from the fire.

Thank big fat goodness that I have great people in my life both here and back in the good 'ole Midwest. Amazing people. You know who you are. Also, I totally get to see the Dalai Lama this weekend, which is on my "life-list". In October I'll get to see Jane Goodall, also a hero-type for me as you know. I guess it's also good that we get two weeks off work for the holidays (although this is mostly furlough time). Won't break my heart to be able to be away for a while. Where should I go?

I got to be back in Wisconsin not long ago! It was so ridiculously great to see friends and family I haven't seen in a year. Got to see mom and dad's new condo, which is gorgeous. Got to drive around without hitting a stoplight on every corner.........ahhhhhhhhhhhhh. My friends Beth and CC got married and celebrated their first anniversary (it's complicated). Great event! She was beautiful and he handsome and I got to witness and be part of a Midwestern slash Filipino wedding. Interesting Filipino traditions during the ceremony that I even got to take part in rather spontaneously, and some family traditions including tequila and fake mustaches. Huh, you ask? No can splainy. Fun as heck, though.

I'm 40. How did that happen?

Not that I have a problem with it. I'm not a number. Oddly enough, I somehow feel no different than a few weeks ago. My birthday, which spanned about 3 weeks, was fantastic. It started with a day at Disneyland with my friend Scott and his friend Steve. Steve works there so we got the full hook-up, including a five-star dinner. It was a cheesy good day, overcast, more crowded than I would have liked, but that just added to the fun in a way. I experienced rides I might not have had there been short lines at "Pirates..." or "Space Mountain." If you know me well, you know how I like to avoid crowds and lines. Later in the week, work folks threw me a breakfast and my boss pal took me to lunch. On the actual day, had din at seester's and Maddie sang me a ridiculously cute happy birthday song. Nice gifts from sees and from Beth and Rebecca. B&R got me a super-cool meaningful gift, which brought a tear to my eye. Get out there and dance, Ganesha....dance I said! Um, that's a song, sort of. Hindu deity. You'll have to ask me.


On the weekend, we went to the beach all day, and I got my wish of watching men play volleyball. I even played myself, and didn't suck as much as I thought. In the eve we went to Tavern on Main in El Segundo, where an Irish band was playing. I had a jiggy great time and loved my people. I'm lucky to have outstanding people around me. I even got a new friend, Little Wooden Boy. Now, for those of you who don't know The Tick, that could sound strange, but trust me, it's funny as hell. Overall, though, the fleshy people were the ones I appreciated hanging with that evening.

All the while I was getting excellent cards in the mail, and even got taken to a movie last week in the name of birthday. Love to milk it, right?

At the movie on Hollywood Blvd, a whole"cultural experience" in and of itself, I got to experience the MJ factor. Hearing the music everywhere. People walking around in memorium t-shirts merely a couple of hours after his death. I was apalled. Speaking of....

At UCLA Extension where I work, classes were cancelled one Thursday eve. I was home checking my email when I read the news that classes were off, and it wasn't mentioned in the message why other than traffic congestion, which I thought was due to the Film Festival going on. I didn't put it together until later, but the reason was MJ. Only in LA could a celebrity death prevent education. He was so important to us, we can't bear the thought of living our normal lives. Oh...........Michael! Why!??? Why???!!
So, administration decided that since traffic/media/freaky mourners blocked up the area, let's try to spare people the hassle of coming in for class. Reasonable decision based on unreasonable circumstance. UCLA's hospital is right down the street from us. The students in my program all pretty much made it, though, and had class anyway. Good hardy folk (plus, they don't check their email every hour like young folks do). I was glad because I thought I was going to get a good lashing from our students due to the last-minute cancellation.

My brief commentary on how people are reacting to the death of Michael Jackson, including the media: Get a Life. He's not the President or the Dalai Lama. He was just a screwed up cat who probably screwed up other people. He grabbed his crotch a lot. I felt sorry for him and think he's better off. He brought me brief moments of joy while dancing to his songs. I didn't know him personally. When Mother Theresa passed, hardly anything. Guy with sinking face who can dance and sing, world freak-out.

Can you tell celebrity worship isn't my thing? And now they're having a memorial at the Staples Center in downtown LA, where they have Lakers games. For cri-i sakes. Tax money being used for this, probably.

Gear shift. English is fun overseas, but I was reminded of the fluidity of the language at Target in my own backyard the other day. Several employees were stocking, and a supervisor-type person comes by and says, "don't conjugate - no more than two employees per aisle." Cute. While one could argue it works, I think he meant "congregate". English really is a hard language! I have more and more appreciation for that since being overseas. Eh, who am I to say, sometimes my grammar and style ain't so great.


How was summerfest? How's it generally?

Another Celebrity Sighting/My Second Earthquake

I totally saw MacGyver in Malibu. I guess now he's on that StargateTV show? He looked good and was rather taller than I thought. Looked weird in 3-D. I almost told him the story of how I nicknamed a former colleague pal after him because she found a use for everything (shoutout to Mackie - aka Shirl from ASQ), but thought better of it. I'm guessing he couldn't give a rip.
What is "giving a rip"? Rip? huh? Now, in looking it up, I've learned a new acronym - DILLIGAR (do I look like I give a rip?). I'm not sure that would work well in texting or email because of the "look" part, maybe it would have to be IDGAR, or make it IDGAS. Is this common and I'm just discovering it?

This last week, I've been inappropriately telling people how I feel 'off' and can't explain it. They looked at me strangely as you expect they would. One attempt at it was allergies since the air has been hazy, then it became emotional allergies, then it became neurotransmitter allergies. I was discussing this weirdness with Beth and CC in the parking lot after dinner last night. Beth suggests, rather out of the blue in a way, that I might be supersensitive to plate tectonics and a big earthquake is coming. I then state that I have been more sensitive to vibrations recently....every time my gluteus maximus twitched, I thought, damn! Was that a little earthquake? So, perhaps Beth is the supersensitive one, or we are Wonder Twins of sorts, because....
Earthquaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaake! Sunday evening, about 8:30 p.m., a 5.0 near LA. Where was I? In a movie with Ken, who is a good informative presence to be with on such an occasion. I did remain pretty calm (and darn proud of it!) being that it wasn't terribly long....maybe 10-15 seconds. Also, for the first couple seconds, I thought the movie was vibrating my seat as it tended to throughout due to loudness. Dammit, Jim! I'm a midwesterner, not a .... oh, I dunno. Gotta be something there. I'll work on that. Guess what movie I was in...

Speaking of, I've been compiling this very useful list, which I'm sure the Universe will obey --

Places I Don't Want to Be in a Big Earthquake:

• In the shower
• Changing clothes anywhere
• On the commode
• Waiting at a stoplight under an overpass
• In an elevator
• California

This is it so far.

LA Day

In Korea, when we were having a tough day, we'd call it a "Korea Day." This might mean we couldn't communicate with someone clearly, couldn't take care of something ourselves, hated our new teaching schedule, a kid had a fight in class in Korean so we couldn't understand, couldn't get any privacy out in public, or just plain didn't get something or thought their ways were a bit behind the times as we know them. Well, these last few days, I've been using the term "LA Day" a lot. I just bought car insurance here because my insurance back home isn't licensed here. That means I have to register my car, which I was trying to avoid. I'm certain they have some fines for me since I didn't register my car immediately after arriving, because that's what they do. I hadn't decided I was staying until recently, but whatever. Anything they can do to get more money out of people. I'm waiting for them to pull me over on my bike for some silly reason, like biking on the sidewalk, even though you take your life in your hands by biking with traffic.

Speaking of traffic, I have a couple of logistical issues. Like, no streets go through, except the really busy ones. I can try to get around it, but no. Even if you can get off the main, ridiculously busy roads, the side roads have a four-way stop sign on every block. It's like a conspiracy. Just TRY to get somewhere without stress....just TRY! Try to get above 20 mph, just try! Betcha can't! Nah nah nah nah boo boo.

Another example: Santa Monica Libraries.
The Main library is on Santa Monica Blvd. The Ocean Park Branch is on Main. The Fairview Branch is on Ocean Park. Why!? Why do they do this to me?

Anyhow, bitch bitch bitch.

What else?

I volunteered to work a green event for JGI (Jane Goodall Institute) last weekend at the LA Arboretum. It was fun, and I learned a bit about other organizations around here, like Native Plant Societies, which seems like a real common sense sort of thing. Plant things that belong here. Duh. I learned most palm trees are not native to CA. Whodathunk? So, the ones you see in pics do not belong here. Anyhow, the event was cool and positive and there were peacocks wandering around the venue, so what else could you ask for? The arboretum was a little brown, but that's pretty typical out here. I miss lush green trees! The girls in the pic are high school students in Roots and Shoots, doing a Lifestraw project. Such cool girls. My friend Clint met me out there, so I did have friend support. He reported it only took him two hours to get there (should take about 45 minutes, maybe), due to a film being shot on one of the overpasses. I believe he mentioned something about a flame-thrower, wishing he had one in his glove compartment. Nice to know I'm not the only one who gets frustrated around here!

I also work in a very large bureaucracy at UCLA, where nothing makes sense and change is veeeeery slow. I suppose it's close to working for a government org. They still use DOS applications to register people for courses! At UCLA Extension! Amazing.

Ok, I tried to focus on the fun stuff there, but ended up back at bitching. Geez, louise. It's been a tough week.

Famous People Sightings

I've (allegedly) seen two famous people so far. Madeline Stowe (Last of the Mohicans) while hiking in Topanga Canyon near Malibu, and Ron Howard jogging through Palisades Park in Santa Monica. I didn't verify with them, but I'm pretty sure. I got a taste of what it's like to be famous when I was overseas, no privacy out in public, so I wouldn't go up to a famous individual. I might ask them for directions, though...

What? For the women....

I visited the UCLA bookstore recently. There was a Clinique kiosk in the store. Reality check!
What sorts of stands did we have in the UWM bookstore? I don't recall any expensive make-up. UW-Madison? Other? I'm curious. Let me know. Check, please....

Jane Goodall on Rodeo Drive

So! Yesterday I went to West Hollywood to meet someone about a volunteer thingie. It was my first time in W. Hollywood, and I thought it was nice, actually! I could see the Hollywood sign down the street from Santa Monica Boulevard (insert Sheryl Crow song here) where I was driving. Moments of a smaller-town downtown feel as I drove. Small storefronts. The volunteer thingie? Well, I'm darn tootin' excited about that, actually, except for the not-lost-on-me detail of no money. I'm going to give a few hours a month to the Jane Goodall Institute http://www.janegoodall.org/default.asp
I read about her a while back, and she was immediately on my list of heroes, along with MLK, the Dalai Lama, and Mother Theresa. What an amazing young woman, going to Tanzania in the 60's to study chimps. She's very powerful and quiet. Interesting combo. Anyhow, she is very into animals and protecting their habitats, and I'm very into the environmental, we'd better learn to share and protect this earth part of it. I'll learn a lot, meet lots of people, and hopefully feel like I'm contributing something (and maybe become connected in cool ways? find other cool opps? Ya never know).

OK, from there I went to Rodeo Drive. Is this slightly strange after the Jane Goodall story? Twisted? From one exteme to another, I guess. I just happened to notice it as I drove by, wanted to make my trip multi-faceted, saw easy parking, so stopped. I walked past Louis Vuitton, Armani, Versace, Dolce and Gabanna, Valentino, Prada, and Harry Winston. As a good Midwesterner, I scoffed scoffingly at the ridiculous decadence of it all. I also called someone on the ole cell phone so as to look important while walking down the street in my Gap jeans and t-shirt. ;) Some of the places had very stern looking people near the door, presumably to bounce my ass out unless I flashed a wad of hundreds, or said how I was famous. Some were by appointment only. I laughed gently to myself often.
What I loved about it was that there was hardly anyone there! That's why I'll go back. It was a welcome respite. Also, I ate avocado rolls at the Cheesecake Factory, where Andydavid told me to come back again and see him real soon (Andydavid, very attentive sweet syrupy waiter with a combo name). mmm....avocado rolls..... Where did I shop? The Gap. Levi's. Same same.

I didn't see any busty blondes in big round sunglasses, a big hat, and six inch high heels carrying 10 shopping bags. I guess there are special underground tunnels for these people, or they only come out on weekends. Or maybe that's movies. Reality is tough to come by, here, sometimes.

Notes from the Land of the Escalade....

and the BMW, Lexus, Mercedes, Audi, and SUV of any sort. You know how most cars in the Midwest are, like, Pontiacs, Fords, and Toyotas? Well, it seems like at least half here are the mega-imports or mega-big. Just an observation. I sorta get it....when you spend so darn much time in your car, you want nice surroundings and a smooth ride. I still love my Honda. Also, there is a lot of talk about finding real people here. Interesting. I've heard this talk in different places, but notice it more here. People have a hard time finding genuineness or something. Well, I'm full of it. I'm not sure how to even play games, except cards.

Speaking of cards, have had fun playing "speed" again, and King's Corners. For some reason, games get played very seldomly, and when I play again, it's so fun! Why don't we do this more often? I recommend a game night for you soon.

Hm....I went to my first Hollywood party a couple weeks ago. The only differences were that people were a skinch more dressed up, the party platters were not overrun with cheese and chips & dip (there was asparagus!), and there were more gay men.

I've been living in Santa Monica for one month! Good times here. My roomie is nice and also quiet....I can't forsee much drama. Neither of us even really lets things lie around! Good situation. She's a smart woman, too, so I learn little facts....the most interesting one to me recently was why the LA Lakers have that name when there are no darn lakes here! I didn't know they came from Minnesota years back. A-Ha! Now, that makes sense.

I do like the area, and I can bike to work! This is great because it saves parking hassles and I can do it in January! Crazy weather. It’s a little cold in the morning for a ride, like 40’s, but I’m not complaining. Usually by the time I go home it’s about 55-60. I did get beeped at and called an asshole for actually daring to be on the street riding my bike when the almighty car rules here. Well, I did whip the bird after getting beeped at, so maybe that’s why she called me an asshole, but jeez, I have just as much right to be on the road as anyone….in fact, I think it’s illegal to ride on the sidewalk, no? What-ever. 'Traffic' is a new swear word for me. Also, the numbers in this particular sequence…405...have become a swear word.

Out here, the highways are “the 405”, “the 110”, etc. At home we just say “take 94 West”, right? Not “take the 94...”. Just little regional differences. I say “kiss my grits”, which doesn’t really belong here, so it’s just fun to notice these little things.

My new job is dandy. Meeting new people, learning interesting things. Here’s the Website to explain it: https://www.uclaextension.edu/Osher
I’ve never worked for such a large organization in such a small part. My dept. is only two people. It’s a strange dynamic….one usually bonds with co-workers, but when they are also your supervisor-type-person, what do you do? A new experience, and I’m sure it’ll be great because we get along well. It would be horrible to work only with one person who irritated you, eh? I meet people I wouldn’t normally….like one of the higher-ups in the LA Opera. Like, a poli-sci, Chinese studies professor. Cool stuff. This naïve little girl from the Midwest will have exciting times here, I hope!

Also making new friends, which is delightful and a half. I have good people to show me around, help me understand this area, reassure me about earthquakes, etc. Good people and fun to hang out with, even musical at times (shout out to BFD!). Also done some hiking in the area, which is quite pretty. I think of my pals in WI all the time, though, wishing I could stop over. I think I’ll try to come home for Summerfest. I also think of my pals from Korea and China, wishing I could stop over….a little more challenging. So, if you get out this way, call me up! Let me know about it! Keep in touch!

Biking to Work/Santa Monica Pics

Oh. Hello. It's you again. It's me again.
Guess what??!! I biked to work two times! Once yesterday and once today. Lemme tell ya sumthin, it's delightful. It takes about the same time as if I drive. Hilarious. I guess that's because I can zig zag about and not have to allow time for parking. It was one of my goals in moving here, so that is simply fantastic.
I had a lovely day yesterday, Obama's inauguration was a feel-good, nice day at work, nice bike ride, then things took a turn for the worse! Got a ticket for street-sweeping day (oh, the pain and irony - bike to work to save money, get exercise, get rewarded with a ticket the price of parking for about 7 days). MLK Day threw me off - another nice thing being a state employee, more days off! So with the good comes the bad, I suppose. Such is life. Just have to get these little ditties worked out....
Here's a couple photos of where I live in Santa Monica. Notice the somewhat famous thingie I live across the street from?

Until the Sun Comes Up Over Santa Monica Boulevard....

I just realized I live a couple miles from Santa Monica Blvd....you know that Sheryl Crow song, right? It's entirely possible I'll sing the song repeatedly.

My last two hour commute this morning! I drove home after work, took me 10-15 minutes. This has made me delirious. You can't even imagine the joy. My right shin is thanking me. Also my ears, which have been hearing a lot of swearing for the last two weeks. Seems like a year.
Parking ticket, meter violation: $45 Only in large cities like LA can 5 minutes cost you $45.

OK! Enough! Geez, you'd think I had nothing better to talk about! Are you guys back home talking about the snow and cold like I'm talking about traffic??

My job seems wonderful. My boss seems about right. There are free yoga classes during lunch. I'll be sitting in on a class next week about post-Olympic Beijing. My new apt. seems to have hot water very quickly available from the taps. My room seems to be developing an Korean/Chinese/cheesy American theme. My closet is extremely large. I have free wireless access. My cup runneth over! Now, I just need to find another part-time job with ridiculously high wages.

Oh! Had a great morning last weekend...woke up at 6 on Saturday morning...why? I don't know. Couldn't get back to sleep so spontaneously decided to drive to the mountain and catch the sunrise. Also drove up to the snow, Big Bear Mtn. I wanted to hike, but unfortunately the Santa Ana's were going so I wasn't dressed warmly enough. It was nice, however! Mountain drive, crisp air, snow, pretty. OK, this is dull, but it was a peaceful morning and totally relaxing, so for me that was different and worth mentioning. :)

Traffic. Seriously.

Seriously. Left at 6:30 a.m. It took me 2.5, that's two and one-half, 2 1/2, hours, 150 minutes to get to work today. Like, totally. I almost cried. Crazy people do this every day. 50 miles. 2.5 hours. I think that means I averaged 20 miles per hour in the speed arena. Yeah. It sure does. Distance equals rate x time. That hasn't changed, right? Shoot. 20 on the freeway.

One day it could take 1.5 hrs, the next 2.5. It's amazing and horrendous. Plus, I had to pee. Lemme tell you why I'm sharing innappropriately....I have been drinking a lot because my throat is frequently sore and dry here, making a long commute somewhat of a challenge if it's more sore than normal and the drinking occurs. I didn't know where to pull over and not add another 1/2 hour to my commute just because I don't know where I'm going. I love that my old job makes me think of hotels as perfectly good places to stop and do bladder business. In your face, McDonalds!
Whew! Good to vent. Thanks. Thank goodness that's over for today. Only three more days of it....
By the way, took me 1.25 hours to get home, leaving at 2 p.m.
In a way, I feel like such a loser hick bitching about this, but seriously. Come on.

My First Earthquake!

Why don't they make earthquake greeting cards? There's so much potential, there. Think of the rhymes and wishes.....consider this a contest to come up with earthquake greeting cards...I'll expect your ideas soon. :)
OK, my first earthquake.
It was amazing! The earth moved back and forth for minutes! Things fell off the wall! I screamed and balled! I ran to my roommate to drag her out of the house! Oh, the drama!
Here's how it really went down. I was laying on my bed and it shook back and forth once, and by the time I bolted upright, it was over. No more than two seconds. Good way to break me in, don't you think? I walked quickly to Ms. Lee (my roommate), to verify that it was indeed, an earthquake, and she called a 5.0 somewhere in the valley. She was spot-on, it was a 5.0 about 30 miles away in Riverside. I did the superstar pose and declared "My first earthquake", and she smiled and looked at it through the eyes of a child...me. She probably didn't give much of a rip as she's used to it. I promptly called my sister and started spouting about my first and the end of the world on the winter solstice of 2012, etc. A little overexcited.

Hey, I finished my first week of work! My boss had mercy on my soul and let me work four days this week instead of five, such that I could sleep past 6 a.m. today and not drive for three hours to work for four. Next week I'll be in Santa Monica and will hopefully take my bike frequently. Only four more days of ridiculous commuting! Yee haw and all that.

Nuevo address

Does anyone have a better idea for the title of this blog? Seems so factual and dull.

My new address as of Jan. 15:

2336 34th St #2
Santa Monica, CA 90405

No stalkers, please.

Gleeful 2009

Not to sound like everyone else, but Happy New Year! I wish you the best in ze 09.

A little news....soon I will have a Santa Monica address! I am moving a mere 5 miles from my new job, very good news for the extremely-impatient-in-traffic Traci. I will have a roomie named Malou, and my own bathroom. Is it OK to say that in one sentence? My own bathroom was very important, but even more important is that I won't have to commute more than a few miles. My new roommate is about my age and we seem to be in relative synch with how we live. We shall see...
I'll provide my new address in a future post. My cell phone will still be my cell phone.
I punched in "Santa Monica" for the slideshow on the right margin, and I have no idea what most of it is. Besides obvious beach shots, I suppose they're just random photos taken by people labeled "Santa Monica" on flickr.com. funny.

Traffic, you ask? OK. I knew it would be bad, but holy hell. I actually have time at lights to put it in park, put my feet up, jam and sing along to half a song or more before I get the green. I've really really done this several times at intersections like Sepulveda and Manhattan Beach Blvd. I believe the lights actually double drive times...if you spend 2 minutes at every intersection, it adds up after a few miles. Don't even get me started on the highway. Many many speeders and weavers, who I usually end up catching up to anyway. Shortsighted selfish drivers. I think it's strange that I've rarely seen a CHP, also. You always see people pulled over in WI. There's actually so much traffic that you can't even pull people over! Or something. I'm still learning. People seem generally cooperative on the roads, mostly, so that's good. Could be worse with this many cars. If California wants to get out of the debt it's in, just pull over speeders for goldernsakes. Could get out of debt in a couple years. ;)

I started my new job today. Nuff said. Ok, really, what is there to report on a first day? They have computers, voicemail, nice people, old office furniture, and no reasonable parking. You know how first days go. You know nothing, and absorb a small percentage of what goes on (what's different from any other day, you say?), everyone welcomes you and it all feels good. Anyhow, I'm optimistic about it and like what I see and feel so far. I'll try to figure out ways to add to office drama and give people things to talk about.

Isn't it funny how, even if you don't particularly like where you are, when you're about to go to something new, suddenly you become sentimental? That's how I feel now. I don't have any particular love of Chino, CA, but am now looking around with a smile. Before I grumbled a lot. Now I think...aw! This is the last Mexican food at Las Brisas! This is the last time I'll watch Korean Drama with Ms. Lee! I have to go to the mountain for the sunset every day! Anyhow, just wondering if you've ever felt this lovely ironic feeling.

My new year's was brought in mellowly....I drove to the mountain to reflect, look at stars, look at city lights. Then, the cops flashed a bright light at me and scared me right out of there. They were inspecting all the pulled over cars....I can only assume for drinkers and mari-ja-wana smokers. Since that's what I was doing, I thought I'd better skedaddle! Then, I went home, watched Korean drama awards (maybe like the Golden Globes), watched the ball drop in New York, and watched a movie. Also took a walk to see where the darn party was. Someone was throwing an outdoor party with a DJ....a little obnoxious, but allowable for NY. I was going to crash, but the crowd looked too young. The music and yeah yeah yelling into the microphone only went on until 1:30 a.m. I was up anyway, but I felt badly for those that might not give a rat's patootie about NY, like my roomie. I think I heard her moving around in the wee hours. Anyhow, good times overall, and I enjoyed the evening. Oh, just kidding about the drinking and smoking of illegalness, geez. Don't you know me?