This weekend is the weekend all American sports fans die and go to heaven, right? Well, then I must not be a very good sports fan.
Saturday, January 31, 2015
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
20 Things I Learned After Moving to Los Angeles
Over 4 years in since my move to the City of Angels, and I've learned a few things to share with you, dear reader.
1. 60 degrees will absolutely feel cold.
My first couple weeks settling into LA, the temperatures hovered in the mid-60s with clouds, and I thought it was pleasant, even while people outside wore sweatshirts and generally looked cold. It didn’t take long for me to acclimate, however, and soon I became one of those laughable Angelenos who complains bitterly about how cold it is when the temperatures drop below what would otherwise be a normal Midwest spring or fall high temperature.
1. 60 degrees will absolutely feel cold.
My first couple weeks settling into LA, the temperatures hovered in the mid-60s with clouds, and I thought it was pleasant, even while people outside wore sweatshirts and generally looked cold. It didn’t take long for me to acclimate, however, and soon I became one of those laughable Angelenos who complains bitterly about how cold it is when the temperatures drop below what would otherwise be a normal Midwest spring or fall high temperature.
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
Comment on the proposed Mobility Plan
Just offered the public comment below to the city's proposed new Mobility Plan. There's lots of good stuff in the plan, and also lots to critique. I decided to go after, in particular, the plan for a "Vehicle Enhanced Network." Just read the comment and lemme know your thoughts!
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Feliz Navidad
I can't say I've ever before spent a Christmas Eve relaxing on my back patio in shorts and a tee shirt, while the dogs mill about in the 80-degree sunshine. It might be above normal temperatures right now, but not so notable that anyone here is making a big stink about it. It certainly makes it more difficult to relate to or understand the plight of so many east of the Rockies who are dealing with major flooding, ice storms, and snow.
But this is my third Christmas in Los Angeles; does three make it officially permanent? This has been a big year on many fronts, and I figured that, per your indulgence, I'd ruminate for just a moment on all that has taken place in 2013.
Bryant and I bought a home. After years of living in Northern California, I'd given up on the idea that I'd ever be a homeowner, relegated instead to permanent renter status. Bryant's and my tale is a bit Cinderella-esque, even for Los Angeles, where we quite literally had our first bid on a home accepted and went from starting our shopping for homes to moving into one in just a matter of two months' time. Not only did the timing work out overwhelmingly in our favor, but so did the home and its location, just steps from B's new job, and in the middle of several of LA's most walkable neighborhoods. The neighborhood has an incredible mix of young and old, long-time residents and newbies, families and singles; and all-in-all it feels like a place that B and I can make a home, raise our pups, and have happy, healthy lives.
Speaking of our new home, we undertook a significant amount of work in the backyard area, to transform it from a chopped up space with incongruent pieces into a contiguous space with a large patio and pergola, yard, and even a giant Scrabble board! Every step of the way, Bryant and I discussed numerous ideas, hashed out the details, Googled myriad D-I-Y websites for info, and settled on details together. The before-and-after photos are all up on my Facebook page, and suffice to say that if I never have to move another chunk of concrete or haul tons of sand ever again, I'll be just fine. I also feel a sense of accomplishment that we did all of this - from demolition, to jackhammering, to laying of tiles, to building the pergola, nearly everything we did. There were cuts and scrapes along the way, but the result is totally worth it.
On a more personal note, I got to meet B's parents for the first time, and over the course of the year we've had a few opportunities to spend time together. I really like them, and I can see how much they care about their son and making sure that he's happy. I feel truly fortunate to soon be able to call them "mom and dad" (in addition to my birth parents, of course!).
Speaking of which... our wedding is now just several weeks away. Hard to believe that it's almost here, but it is, and I am stoked. We've spent so much effort on our backyard, in part, to prepare it for the wedding. Back when we were looking at possible wedding venues at the same time we were considering homeownership, we decided that, if possible, we'd want a home with a space that could be used for our wedding. And fortunately we found just such a place. The food is ordered, drinks almost all squared away, invitations sent, and most logistical details already handled, so now we're taking care of the smaller items that need to be done but might otherwise be forgotten, like the little giveaways for guests. Mostly, though, I just can't wait to marry B. He's absolutely everything I ever needed, and ever wanted, and every day that we have together is another day that I'm grateful to have him in my life.
Three Christmases. It's hard to express just how much my life has changed, and how happy I am for that change, in these past few years. Suffice it to say that I absolutely made the right decision moving here all those years ago, and I am a better man for it. In another week, I'll raise a toast to 2014 and all the new experiences and opportunities it will bring. For now, I'm simply grateful for everything that has transpired - and everything that I've learned and gained - this past year and since moving to LA in 2010.
But this is my third Christmas in Los Angeles; does three make it officially permanent? This has been a big year on many fronts, and I figured that, per your indulgence, I'd ruminate for just a moment on all that has taken place in 2013.
Bryant and I bought a home. After years of living in Northern California, I'd given up on the idea that I'd ever be a homeowner, relegated instead to permanent renter status. Bryant's and my tale is a bit Cinderella-esque, even for Los Angeles, where we quite literally had our first bid on a home accepted and went from starting our shopping for homes to moving into one in just a matter of two months' time. Not only did the timing work out overwhelmingly in our favor, but so did the home and its location, just steps from B's new job, and in the middle of several of LA's most walkable neighborhoods. The neighborhood has an incredible mix of young and old, long-time residents and newbies, families and singles; and all-in-all it feels like a place that B and I can make a home, raise our pups, and have happy, healthy lives.
Speaking of our new home, we undertook a significant amount of work in the backyard area, to transform it from a chopped up space with incongruent pieces into a contiguous space with a large patio and pergola, yard, and even a giant Scrabble board! Every step of the way, Bryant and I discussed numerous ideas, hashed out the details, Googled myriad D-I-Y websites for info, and settled on details together. The before-and-after photos are all up on my Facebook page, and suffice to say that if I never have to move another chunk of concrete or haul tons of sand ever again, I'll be just fine. I also feel a sense of accomplishment that we did all of this - from demolition, to jackhammering, to laying of tiles, to building the pergola, nearly everything we did. There were cuts and scrapes along the way, but the result is totally worth it.
On a more personal note, I got to meet B's parents for the first time, and over the course of the year we've had a few opportunities to spend time together. I really like them, and I can see how much they care about their son and making sure that he's happy. I feel truly fortunate to soon be able to call them "mom and dad" (in addition to my birth parents, of course!).
Speaking of which... our wedding is now just several weeks away. Hard to believe that it's almost here, but it is, and I am stoked. We've spent so much effort on our backyard, in part, to prepare it for the wedding. Back when we were looking at possible wedding venues at the same time we were considering homeownership, we decided that, if possible, we'd want a home with a space that could be used for our wedding. And fortunately we found just such a place. The food is ordered, drinks almost all squared away, invitations sent, and most logistical details already handled, so now we're taking care of the smaller items that need to be done but might otherwise be forgotten, like the little giveaways for guests. Mostly, though, I just can't wait to marry B. He's absolutely everything I ever needed, and ever wanted, and every day that we have together is another day that I'm grateful to have him in my life.
Three Christmases. It's hard to express just how much my life has changed, and how happy I am for that change, in these past few years. Suffice it to say that I absolutely made the right decision moving here all those years ago, and I am a better man for it. In another week, I'll raise a toast to 2014 and all the new experiences and opportunities it will bring. For now, I'm simply grateful for everything that has transpired - and everything that I've learned and gained - this past year and since moving to LA in 2010.
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Meteorological dissociation
The quintessential shot of Los Angeles from any television show or movie is the sun shining down on palm trees, their fronds swaying in the breeze, and craggy brown hillsides in the distance (perhaps even with the Hollywood sign). This is also maybe the easiest shot for a cinematographer to capture because nearly every day in LA is sunny, and the palm trees are ever-present.
As someone only mildly obsessed with meteorological phenomena, though, the weather here is more than a little boring. Rain just a handful of days every year (and then rarely for more than a few hours), June "gloom" that is about 6 straight weeks of grey skies in morning followed by warm, hazy sunshine in the afternoon and evening, and otherwise nothing but sunny skies that go on and on for months. It's enough to make even me forget that on a rare occasion I actually need to dress for the weather.
What is jarring is that, no matter the time of year, I generally only know what season it is by reading or watching the news. Yes, we get a couple chilly weeks in the winter where lows drop into the mid-40s, and in the summer we'll get weeks of 80 degree temperatures every day. But I see reports of a snowstorm, tornado outbreak, hurricane, or flash flood, and it all feels... foreign.
Chicago sees golfball-sized hail and 50-mph winds, and it's sunny and 75 here. Oklahoma City gets hit by a 2-mile-wide tornado, and it's 70 and sunny here. New York City gets slammed with a hurricane, and we're sitting in 80 degree sunshine. On the rare occasion that it rains here, we've usually had warning for days and the local news is bringing us regular updates on the rain, including man-on-the-street interviews (i.e. "how are you staying dry this morning?"). And that's only during the 5-month span when it actually *can* rain, as the rest of the year is dry season.
I suppose I shouldn't complain, but on some level I do miss weather. I imagine myself sipping a hot cocoa alongside a fireplace looking out over a snowy scene, or I picture a towering cloud swirling and rumbling overhead while I stand outside and wait for a cold rain to sweep in and push the warm humid air away. But rarely is it ever humid, almost never does it thunder, and the closest it gets to snowing is a picturesque winter scene of the 10,000-feet above sea level San Gabriel mountains in the distance after a cold rain.
Just some random thoughts I wanted to share and wondering what others have to say. Feel free to share in the comments!
As someone only mildly obsessed with meteorological phenomena, though, the weather here is more than a little boring. Rain just a handful of days every year (and then rarely for more than a few hours), June "gloom" that is about 6 straight weeks of grey skies in morning followed by warm, hazy sunshine in the afternoon and evening, and otherwise nothing but sunny skies that go on and on for months. It's enough to make even me forget that on a rare occasion I actually need to dress for the weather.
What is jarring is that, no matter the time of year, I generally only know what season it is by reading or watching the news. Yes, we get a couple chilly weeks in the winter where lows drop into the mid-40s, and in the summer we'll get weeks of 80 degree temperatures every day. But I see reports of a snowstorm, tornado outbreak, hurricane, or flash flood, and it all feels... foreign.
Chicago sees golfball-sized hail and 50-mph winds, and it's sunny and 75 here. Oklahoma City gets hit by a 2-mile-wide tornado, and it's 70 and sunny here. New York City gets slammed with a hurricane, and we're sitting in 80 degree sunshine. On the rare occasion that it rains here, we've usually had warning for days and the local news is bringing us regular updates on the rain, including man-on-the-street interviews (i.e. "how are you staying dry this morning?"). And that's only during the 5-month span when it actually *can* rain, as the rest of the year is dry season.
I suppose I shouldn't complain, but on some level I do miss weather. I imagine myself sipping a hot cocoa alongside a fireplace looking out over a snowy scene, or I picture a towering cloud swirling and rumbling overhead while I stand outside and wait for a cold rain to sweep in and push the warm humid air away. But rarely is it ever humid, almost never does it thunder, and the closest it gets to snowing is a picturesque winter scene of the 10,000-feet above sea level San Gabriel mountains in the distance after a cold rain.
Just some random thoughts I wanted to share and wondering what others have to say. Feel free to share in the comments!
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Yeah, I really do like LA
I've been doing a lot of traveling the past couple weeks - including a couple visits to San Francisco, a bunch to Sacramento, and now in DC. It's been a whirlwind, and it's all quite rewarding in its own way. One thing, however, has been reinforced through a handful of random interactions, and I was just thinking about it after reading this post on LAist, which happens to be one of my primary sources of local news these days.
On all these travels, I've been noticing the reaction I get from folks when I tell them I'm from LA (or share with them information about how I feel about living here). Typically their responses range from "oh" (spoken as if I'd just told them that I was recently diagnosed with cancer) to "really??" (spoken as if I'd just said that it snowed in Phoenix... in July). On a rare occasion I'll get a positive response, but truly the difference for me could not be starker, particularly having lived for so long in San Francisco and having gotten such a different response whenever I shared that information with someone.
Honestly, whatever. I mean, I don't really care that lots of people don't like Los Angeles. I get it. There are days when you can see the air. And there are days when the traffic is maddening. And there are days when I just need a "pause" button to slow things down for a moment. It's a big and crazy city, and it's hard to really describe it in a way that I feel does it any justice. So I get why what are typically people's first impressions remain as their lasting, and sometimes only, impressions. They come once, stay a few days, find themselves driving around trying to hit what they think are the "must-do's" in LA, and they decide never to return.
What has changed my experience of LA into something truly exciting for me is, basically, giving it a chance. I'm not going to change the fact that the weather combined with people's driving proclivities sometimes makes for nasty air. That's part of living here. Not unlike those smelly, sticky days in the height of summer in NYC, or those chilly, brisk summer days in SF, or those biting, windy days in the depths of winter in Chicago.
Frankly, if there's anything that bugs me about people's impressions of LA, it's that they come across as lazy. Admittedly, I've been that person. And I now view it as lazy to complain about traffic, when, quite honestly, I've experienced just as bad (if not worse) traffic in numerous other cities. It's lazy to complain about air quality, when again that's something every American city has issues around, whether they'll own up to it or not. It's lazy to complain about things being spread out, when again this is true of nearly all American cities, with the rare exception being primarily a result of cities that are geographically constrained (i.e. on an island or shorefront or peninsula or isthmus). It's lazy to complain about the entertainment industry being superficial, when it's merely offering a product, not unlike how Seattle makes coffee, Houston makes oil, Detroit makes cars, and Miami makes people orange.
LA is funky, and I like it. The Los Angeles river isn't some great escape to nature, but it's odd and so reflective of how this city has grown up. Silverlake (where I now live) isn't at all the "SF of LA" that I've heard people say it is, but it's fun and full of unexpected wildlife (like owls, coyotes, raccoons, and a panoply of birds) and fun places to walk and cool restaurants. Yeah, there are definitely people here who are "plastic," and they'll own it rather than masquerading behind some facade of idealism. You can actually live here, with space and windows and sunlight, and not break your bank on rent or be forced to squish into a closet of an apartment, or have to give up the dream of owning a home, having a pet, or raising a family just because you want to be in a place you enjoy. There are TONS of neighborhoods, each with its own flavor; some are actually genuinely scary, others are over-the-top eccentric, and others are as vanilla as they come. There are lots of cool, interesting, good-hearted people here who care about doing right by themselves and others, and we're all in this funky fun place together.
So, yeah, it does sting a little for me when people complain about LA - in kinda the same way that, on a rare occasion, I got a sense from people that they looked down on SF, usually because they considered it to be too liberal for their tastes. That's just laziness.
I've also learned these past couple years not to judge others' choices to live wherever the heck they want to. I used to think it odd that someone might choose a Dallas or Boston or Chicago over San Francisco when I called the city by the bay my home, but now, whether or not I get it, I don't find myself feeling judgment around it. Different strokes for different folks.
Several people I've met in DC have said how much they like it here. Admittedly, I have my reasons for not liking DC very much, but rather than just cutting them off and stating my opinion, I've listened, and I've learned. Yeah, I may still have opinions about DC for years to come, but when I talk with people who have found something special in their home that keeps them choosing to stay, year after year, a few more of my lazy assumptions get chipped away. Now being the occasional recipient of others' disdain for my choice to live in a city so disliked by America, I've come to realize even more that we won't all agree on the choices each other makes, and that's a good thing.
So here I am, just past a year and a half in my new home, and I really do like LA. It no longer feels indulgent or funny to say that. I have myriad reasons to feel this way. And the most simple one is this: I feel at home here. I feel at home when the cool marine layer blows through the windows at night, or the sun warms the air in the morning. I feel at home when my boyfriend makes me some delectable dinner, or we walk up Sunset to catch a movie. I feel at home when our dog greets me at the door, impatiently clawing at me to greet him. I feel at home in my service of others through my professional work. I feel at home rocking a weekly trivia game, having fun with other singers in a local theatre, and organizing my neighborhood to make our streets cleaner.
I feel at home here. And, yeah, I really do like LA.
On all these travels, I've been noticing the reaction I get from folks when I tell them I'm from LA (or share with them information about how I feel about living here). Typically their responses range from "oh" (spoken as if I'd just told them that I was recently diagnosed with cancer) to "really??" (spoken as if I'd just said that it snowed in Phoenix... in July). On a rare occasion I'll get a positive response, but truly the difference for me could not be starker, particularly having lived for so long in San Francisco and having gotten such a different response whenever I shared that information with someone.
Honestly, whatever. I mean, I don't really care that lots of people don't like Los Angeles. I get it. There are days when you can see the air. And there are days when the traffic is maddening. And there are days when I just need a "pause" button to slow things down for a moment. It's a big and crazy city, and it's hard to really describe it in a way that I feel does it any justice. So I get why what are typically people's first impressions remain as their lasting, and sometimes only, impressions. They come once, stay a few days, find themselves driving around trying to hit what they think are the "must-do's" in LA, and they decide never to return.
What has changed my experience of LA into something truly exciting for me is, basically, giving it a chance. I'm not going to change the fact that the weather combined with people's driving proclivities sometimes makes for nasty air. That's part of living here. Not unlike those smelly, sticky days in the height of summer in NYC, or those chilly, brisk summer days in SF, or those biting, windy days in the depths of winter in Chicago.
Frankly, if there's anything that bugs me about people's impressions of LA, it's that they come across as lazy. Admittedly, I've been that person. And I now view it as lazy to complain about traffic, when, quite honestly, I've experienced just as bad (if not worse) traffic in numerous other cities. It's lazy to complain about air quality, when again that's something every American city has issues around, whether they'll own up to it or not. It's lazy to complain about things being spread out, when again this is true of nearly all American cities, with the rare exception being primarily a result of cities that are geographically constrained (i.e. on an island or shorefront or peninsula or isthmus). It's lazy to complain about the entertainment industry being superficial, when it's merely offering a product, not unlike how Seattle makes coffee, Houston makes oil, Detroit makes cars, and Miami makes people orange.
LA is funky, and I like it. The Los Angeles river isn't some great escape to nature, but it's odd and so reflective of how this city has grown up. Silverlake (where I now live) isn't at all the "SF of LA" that I've heard people say it is, but it's fun and full of unexpected wildlife (like owls, coyotes, raccoons, and a panoply of birds) and fun places to walk and cool restaurants. Yeah, there are definitely people here who are "plastic," and they'll own it rather than masquerading behind some facade of idealism. You can actually live here, with space and windows and sunlight, and not break your bank on rent or be forced to squish into a closet of an apartment, or have to give up the dream of owning a home, having a pet, or raising a family just because you want to be in a place you enjoy. There are TONS of neighborhoods, each with its own flavor; some are actually genuinely scary, others are over-the-top eccentric, and others are as vanilla as they come. There are lots of cool, interesting, good-hearted people here who care about doing right by themselves and others, and we're all in this funky fun place together.
So, yeah, it does sting a little for me when people complain about LA - in kinda the same way that, on a rare occasion, I got a sense from people that they looked down on SF, usually because they considered it to be too liberal for their tastes. That's just laziness.
I've also learned these past couple years not to judge others' choices to live wherever the heck they want to. I used to think it odd that someone might choose a Dallas or Boston or Chicago over San Francisco when I called the city by the bay my home, but now, whether or not I get it, I don't find myself feeling judgment around it. Different strokes for different folks.
Several people I've met in DC have said how much they like it here. Admittedly, I have my reasons for not liking DC very much, but rather than just cutting them off and stating my opinion, I've listened, and I've learned. Yeah, I may still have opinions about DC for years to come, but when I talk with people who have found something special in their home that keeps them choosing to stay, year after year, a few more of my lazy assumptions get chipped away. Now being the occasional recipient of others' disdain for my choice to live in a city so disliked by America, I've come to realize even more that we won't all agree on the choices each other makes, and that's a good thing.
So here I am, just past a year and a half in my new home, and I really do like LA. It no longer feels indulgent or funny to say that. I have myriad reasons to feel this way. And the most simple one is this: I feel at home here. I feel at home when the cool marine layer blows through the windows at night, or the sun warms the air in the morning. I feel at home when my boyfriend makes me some delectable dinner, or we walk up Sunset to catch a movie. I feel at home when our dog greets me at the door, impatiently clawing at me to greet him. I feel at home in my service of others through my professional work. I feel at home rocking a weekly trivia game, having fun with other singers in a local theatre, and organizing my neighborhood to make our streets cleaner.
I feel at home here. And, yeah, I really do like LA.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
One year... already?
It's hard to believe, but it was just over one year ago that I moved to Los Angeles. One year in, and here are a bunch of random observations that I wanted to share with y'all:
- Sunshine and warm 80% of the time isn't so bad after all.
- There are a lot of people here. A lot.
- I like being in a racially/ethnically/demographically mixed neighborhood - it feels more like an authentic American experience.
- Not sure why I feared driving, because now I love it.
- The Hollywood Bowl is hands down my favorite place to see a show.
- LA is a lot more densely populated than anyone gives it credit for - and yet it is still spread out just as much as everyone complains that it is.
- The majority of people are either working in "the entertainment business" or something connected to it.
- Any time of day, in any coffee shop anywhere in the city there will always be people buying coffee - where are they coming from? Don't they have jobs?
- There's tons of great places to hike all within a short distance.
- I can afford living here, and I don't feel perpetually stressed out about my finances or rent or any of that.
- Hosting trivia two nights a week is a bit tiring but a hell of a lot of fun.
- I've made some great friends in the first year.
- Moving here is one of the best decisions I've ever made.
- It's both unsettling and kinda revealing to be surrounded by so many pretty people.
- I don't speak Spanish.
- I love showing my new home to friends - especially friends who have bad experiences of this city before coming to visit (this is true of many people, go figure).
- I've seen a few celebrities out and about, but far fewer than one would expect given that I live in Hollywood.
- The Hollywood sign is fun to look at - a great way to orient myself to where I am.
- I love my boyfriend.
- It's great having my own kitchen, especially since I love baking cookies.
- Putt putt golfing on an 85 degree day for my mid-January birthday is quite fun.
- I hate helicopters.
- I really hate smog - something I see far more often than I'd like and far less often than I expected.
- There are a lot of trees.
- Palm trees are like living fireworks, but their detritus is far more dangerous.
- People are very upbeat - perhaps it's the sunshine?
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