Surfing on the Metro

I followed my friend's band, Killsonic, on their Metro trek today. They went from North Hollywood to Union Station playing trumpets, trombones, accordions and drums on and off the metro. And as if that wasn't cool enough...I met a couch surfer along my travels.

He's a few months into a year of travel throughout the US and so far has been enamored with California. I believe he said it was the friendliest place he'd been so far. Yay, us!

As I was getting off at my stop, I told my couch surfing friend to look me up on laguerrillagardening.org (neither one of us had a pen and paper) and to let me know if he ever ended up in Florida...I'd try to help him out.

Apparently I like to start drinking a tad bit early because the bar where I planned to meet a friend, wasn't open yet. So I headed to the only other downtown bar I know and guess who was there? Mr. Couch Surfer.

Look at me, no hands!

Driving to San Diego for just the day can be overwhelming, especially when you're being forced to go for work. However, I seemed to have overlooked a saving grace: The Carpool Lane.

Usually, I drive along side it and don't pay much attention...it's pretty much off limits for me. But on this day, with my trusty coworker in the driver's seat, I got to actually use the lane.

I'm betting you have to live or have lived in LA to truly understand the exhilarating feeling of crossing the double white lines into no man's land. And it is nothing short of that...exhilarating. I basically reverted back to about 10-years-old, making hand horns and saying nanny nanny boo boo to all the poor fools driving solo.

It took everything I had to not lift my hands straight over my head and scream outloud...just like a rollercoaster.

Who Are You Sleeping With?

Just a little game my roommate and I play at EVERY concert we attend.
Object: Pick the person in the band you would sleep with. Not have a relationship with, but sleep with.
Players: Unlimited
Rules: You can't say "no one"

Tonight, I picked this guy.

And let's be honest, I was close enough to ACTUALLY sleep with him...unfortunately, he's happily married and I'm not that easy. Plus, that sort of ruins the game, doesn't it?

The man in the La Verne83 shirt rocked my world once again...as he has done so many times before. AND we had a little chat after the show. I'm always a little apprehensive meeting someone I idolize.
What if they suck?
What if they're just not good people?
I like to keep the mystery alive.
Tonight, there is a little less mystery and I'm ok with that. This guy is kind and he listens to what you're saying (even if you're a little flustered and giddy) and his music and stage presence will forever make me smile until my cheeks hurt.

Parcel

Getting REAL mail is always so exciting. Cards, packages, postcards...love it. And today, FedEx showed up at my door.

A late Christmas present from my best friend...and most definitely a sunshine!

Magnetic Poetry in Scranton

I brought my lunch to work today which usually means eating alone in the kitchen. Which also means staring at the magnetic poetry on the fridge for most of my meal.

The magnets are themed: The Office (ya know, Steve Carell style) and they've been in the same formation since we got them a year ago.

So I spent a solid 6 or 7 minutes arranging and rearranging so we'd have a little variety in the office. It was challenging because they're mostly phrases and no extra articles or adjectives. My favorite was:

Corporate TASKS:
PICK UP interns
Cancel Christmas
ORGANIZE Borientation

But in the 1940's & 50's we would have been "hep cats"

Me: Wanna eat at Hipster Pho tonight?
Mom: What's Hipster Pho?
Me: The Pho place...ya know, on the eastside...we just call it that.

(later at the restaurant)
Mom: What's hipster mean, anyway?
Me: (with Vanna White hand gesture pointing at all the patrons) This.

Between my brother, my roommate and I, we couldn't come up with a definition. Crazy how sometimes there just aren't enough words.

However, I looked it up (HIPSTER) and apparently there are a bazzilion ways to describe it.
My favorite: #3

You know you are. Own it.

My cheeks hurt

Ms. Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings rocked my world tonight. Yes, they're insanely talented. Yes, her energy is contagious. But I think my favorite was watching her pull someone up on stage almost every other song (including: a group of 7 girls, an 8-year-old boy, a long-haired hippie and a suave Spanish man).

She's magnetic and I couldn't stop smiling the entire show.

She makes me proud to dance and not even think once about what other people might think.

(P.S. Club Nokia is a rad venue, but bring your own drinks, redneck style. Or a rich date.)

Teen Wolf

Saturday nights at home watching movies.

Trials and tribulations of the party planner

Had a late night drink at Vine Bar with my party planner buddy, Aaron Hendricks. We commiserated about always being the one who plans, organizes and DOES. And the irony of rarely getting invited to OTHER PEOPLE'S happenings.

In all his wisdom, his advice was:
Get used to it. We'll always be that person. But it's awesome.

No single riders

I'm working on a video project and need footage of me doing touristy things in LA. So I decided to ride the Ferris Wheel on the Santa Monica Pier. I've actually never been on it.

I waited in line only to find out there are no single riders. Which, at first, was a little sad. The ride operator asked the two people before me if I could ride with them.

Kenny and April were a father/daughter duo from Georgia visiting Santa Monica via The Make-A-Wish foundation. They had never been on a plane, much less a Ferris Wheel. I taped myself (and Kenny and April) riding high in the sky and we all screamed. I think it'll be some of the best footage of the entire project.

Daring and dangerous things

I got a pedicure today...and realized halfway through, that I had the best gal in the entire place. If you've had a pedicure...you get it. If not...doesn't matter.

After washing and rinsing and scrubbing and massaging and being amazing...my pedicure stylist (is that what we call them?!) gave me a gift.

Not just any gift. But a gift that she scoured for...through many plastic, rolling drawers. And one that she thought would be apropos (thanks C. Clark) based on my "look." She gave me a carabiner. Because I had jeans...a T-shirt...and rollerskates. Apparently, I was an "outdoors" girl who needed somewhere to clip my keys when I was doing daring and dangerous things.

So, thanks. I will cherish it. Forever.
Seriously.

Knock, Knock

No one's home.

Today is sad because two very good friends are leaving LA. But going over to say goodbye tonight was actually a blessing.

Tonight I witnessed FOUR friends about to take, not just a step, but HUGE strides towards new lives. Dave and Erin are packed and ready to head east to start a home and a family. And Jesse and Crystal are putting the final touches on a dream that starts tomorrow with 150 eager parents waiting to hear their voice.

Truth is...I'm sick with envy. But I, little old me, got to be a part of THEIR sunshine, be it bittersweet or even a little scary.

Thank you for sharing.

(Oh, and our country may have made some strides today as well.)

Decisions....decisions...

It might have been 30 people showing up to pull weeds at Wilton & Sunset.
It might have been laughing my ass off about camping in Yosemite 3 years ago.
It might have been watching Dave & Erin get stolen from their seats and carried to the stage.
It might have been dancing and dancing and dancing with friends and friends.

Apparently it's 81 degrees in LA in January and the sun is shining EVERYWHERE.

i heart candy

They only come out around Valentine's Day and today someone gave me ten bags. Yay.

1 and 2 and 3 and 4

Today, I met my new neighbors.

And instead of the typical stop by with cookies; the first time I met them I was doing a choreographed dance in my courtyard.

I'm guessing they're either really excited about living here or second-guessing their move.

A request.

Overheard at lunch...

Lady: "Margarita, please."
Server: "Rocks?"
Lady: "Yes."
Server: "Salt?"
Lady: "Yes. And ice and a lemon and a straw. I really want a straw."

Sneak Peak

Working on projects with my brother...waaaay past our bedtime.
Always a sunshine.

Los Angeles is neat.

Today, I felt like I couldn't breathe.

Finding sunshine during the work week has been harder than I expected. I work from home on Wednesdays, so I drove north in pursuit of the shine. I intended to drive to my favorite spot, appreciate some REAL sunshine and head home.

Then Rick showed up.

At first, I felt like he invaded my space. Then he leaned over from his rock and said, "I feel bad. I'm drinking beer right in front of you. Would you like a glass?" He had two coffee mugs and a jug of Hollister Beer (a local Santa Barbara brewery). De-lish.

Rick is a 49-year-old high school science teacher obsessed with catching the best wave. Rick thinks Los Angeles is neat. We watched the sunset and talked about kids these days. We talked about bacteria and Berkeley and passion.

Two beers later, we parted ways. I rolled down all my windows, put this song on repeat and sang at the top of my lungs all the way home basking in my sunshine.

Aliens and NPR

I get a lot of shit for listening to NPR on a regular basis. Mostly from Brian at work...who we affectionately call Brain. Brain hates NPR's overuse of sound effects and the uber liberal vibe on most of their shows. Brain also believes that there is an alien transmitter in Orange County that is brainwashing anyone within a 100 mile radius.

Even with the sound effects and Michelle who pronounces her name Meeshell; I like NPR. And there was a story today that warmed my heart.

A 14-year-old boy at a Chicago Red Wings game was handed a hockey stick from one of the players. As he was leaving, a relatively official looking older man stopped him and explained he wasn't allowed to have the stick without a parent. The kid tried to question this and the man told him he had to follow him to the ticket booth and he'd explain everything there.

The boy reluctantly handed the man the hockey stick and started following him to the ticket booth. Within seconds, the man had turned the other way and disappeared with the stick.

The thief's next stop: the bathroom.

While in the bathroom, another hockey fan (visiting from out of town) was admiring the Red Wings prize and offered the thief $100 for it. The thief considered what he might make on Ebay for the hockey stick and decided 100 bucks for beer RIGHT NOW might be a better option. Sold.

A few days after the game, the Chicago Tribune ran a story about the 14-year-old who had been duped. The out of town visitor heard about the story, realized the hockey stick wasn't rightfully his and MAILED IT BACK to the kid.

Heart. Warmed.
(I also hope everyone washed their hands.)

Green Light, Yellow Light, Red Light

Oh, the Cloverfield exit. I use it almost everyday and almost everyday, some d-bag (in a hurry to wait in even more traffic), blocks the intersection. Which then leaves the rest of us sitting and staring at a green light.

Today, someone stepped up. A very nice gentlemen in a Honda Accord realized that his impatience might affect everyone else...and he waited...at HIS green light. He realized the 20 ft he might gain in moving into the intersection was less important than the 15 cars waiting to get off the freeway.

Yes, I live in LA. And traffic etiquette make me happy.

Excuse me, sir...Can I buy you a drink?

Even after adding "in bed" to the end of my fortune, I was more thankful for the language lesson on the other side.

Perhaps my future will have one less awkward moment in my pursuit of foreign men.

A place to sleep. A place to eat.

I'm not sure if it's the red velvet curtains or the whiskey in my blood, but every time I leave Hotel Cafe I feel like I can take over the world.

Tonight's flavor: Pawn Shop Kings

Blinded.

I can't even believe today. I started out feeling pressured to find a sunshine of sorts. And then I realized the more you look, the more sunshine you find. I even drew a gold heart on my hand to remind me that someone mentioned that Mark and I come from an amazing gene pool.

The winner, however, is music. Because on my way home tonight, I seemed to be living in a soundtrack of my memories.

Red Hot Chili Peppers : Road trippin in Austrailia. I miss you Peter, Rita, Shea, Emily and Luke.
Wild Thing (Tone Loc): Stop making me shake me butt, stop it. I mean....I love it.
Groove Is In the Heart ( Deee-Lite): One. Two. Three. Blllubbpbbb.

And the night ended with an unexpected call from an Australian with dance moves that would rock your world and a heart that would knock you on your feet. Adam Powell, thank you for reminding me that sunshine can show itself during a full moon.

Gong Show

Kundalini: the yogic life force that is held to lie coiled at the base of the spine until it is aroused and sent to the head to trigger enlightenment.

I hope today was the revival of my Thursday ritual of Kundalini Yoga at Golden Bridge. My favorite teacher was out sick, and I'm usually a teeny bit judgmental of the substitute...but tonight was magnificent. He ended the class with a gong meditation -- which is exactly what it sounds like: meditation with a yogi dude playing the gong. Whoa.

If a yoga out-of-consciousness experience isn't sunshine...I'm not sure what is.

Caught

Locale:
Trader Joes
(after drving around for 13.4 minutes looking for parking)

Vehicle:
Mine

Blue & White Object:
My shirt

Conclusion:
That Kind of Day

Matt the Bread Hoarder

As if spontaneous dinner with friends wasn't enough...I won the Pull The Credit Card Out of The Hat game and got FREE dinner. Bonus.

And I haven't laughed that hard in awhile.

Disney and the Two Finger Point Rule

I was happily reading my book, indian style, on the floor of Barnes and Noble when I was rudely interrupted by the overly helpful Barnes and Noble employee dutifully advising a costumer. I half read/half listened for 5 minutes and then realized this employee was my hero. He not only convinced this guy to buy online, have it shipped as a gift and save 20%; but he also managed to make small talk and truly LISTEN to him.

I'm a true sucker for customer service. Blame it on working for the Mouse, blame it on growing up in the south...doesn't matter, I swoon...always. It's just so easy....be nice, be courteous...help people.

And this guy...this guy, from Delaware, with all of his 40-odd years....loved helping people find books. And I know, because I asked. He told me heroic stories of book-finding and title-sleuthing. I told him he made my day. I witnessed the entire event and he had given me hope that people still make an attempt to be truly helpful.

To be honest, I thought for a few moments that maybe my next career move should be: Overly Helpful Bookstore Employee. He seemed happier than me.

Contest Winner

Welcome to TWO THOUSAND SHINE.
(courtesy of Mr. Jason Savvy)