October 29, 2011

We've got dingos in LA too.

September 18, 2011

Sweet Home Rowena

Just started playing on Instagram. Pretty darn fun.

July 26, 2011

The Colors Are Superb

Little is more impressive in this world than a well-turned dinosaur simile:

It is the roots and the root-shoots of manzanita and other shrubs. The colors are superb, terra-cotta reds, shading up to flesh pink, and down to dark mahogany; but the forms are grotesque beyond comparison: twists, querls, contortions, a boxful of them is an uncomfortable presence in one's room, and putting them on the fire is like cremating the vertebrae and double teeth of colossal monsters of the Pterodactyl period.

Thank you Helen Hunt Jackson.

February 5, 2011

Another Day in LA

Yesterday, at about 4pm, I crossed Sunset, walking north on Hillhurst. While there had been quite a few pedestrians on the block previous, I noticed an empty stretch of wide sidewalk ahead. Slightly suspicious of the quiet but reassured by blue skies, I walked on, the four-lane avenue on my right.

Just as I came close enough to recognize the Mustang logo in the grill of the only parked car on the block, I noticed another pedestrian jog from the east side of the street to the car, pull out his phone, glance back at me, and begin walking north, not far ahead of me.

I was walking quickly, and very soon, I had come close enough to the other pedestrian that he noticed that I was gaining on him.

He slowed, moved to the far left of the sidewalk, stopped, the backs of his legs brushing the little concrete wall that separated our path from a parking lot, looked at me uncertainly, put his phone back in his pocket, pulled out a key-sized, mostly black object, unfolded it, and revealed, in his right hand, against his right hip, a small but unmistakable knife blade.

Having reduced my speed in response to his abrupt stop, about ten feet of space still separated us, and my first thought was to increase or at least maintain that space without making any sudden movements, so I edged as far right on the sidewalk as possible, readied myself to sprint through traffic across the street if necessary, and kept moving north, past my sidewalk-mate and on toward home.

He closed the knife, put it back in his pocket, and, clearly relieved, asked, "Got a cigarette, champ?"

Still walking quickly, I half-turned my head toward him, said, "Nope, nothing, sorry," and increased my speed a little more, creating more separation and starting to feel my heartbeat.

...

I feel incredibly lucky that that was the first time anyone has ever drawn a knife threateningly in my presence. I feel incredibly lucky that he drew it to defend himself, not to attack. And I feel incredibly lucky that I don't live with the fear of violence that he does.

October 2, 2010

Like The Love That Let Us Share Our Name

L and I made our first visit to the Nokia Theater in downtown LA last night. Roving vendors cruise the aisles selling M&Ms and $5 popcorn. And, amazingly, beautiful musical moments abound anyway. For example:

After leaping across the stage for 90 minutes, Scott Avett put his banjo down and picked up an acoustic guitar. Seth Avett, dripping sweat, dropped his guitar and walked to the microphone next to Scott's. The rest of the band left the stage. And Scott sang his little brother a song....