Adventures in LaLaLand

Poker night with the office peeps. Beware of these individuals...

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 11:41:55 -0700

Poker night with the office peeps.

Beware of these individuals (as well as others not pictured). They will:

- take your money
- keep you out too late
- force you to eat fast food (with bacon!) at 1:30 a.m.
- demand that you make them pie
- torch defenseless cockroaches with lighter fluid
- debate the existance of dinosaurs
- insist that robots are one day going to take over humanity (and then procede to argue about it lucidly for at least 30 minutes before making another demand for pie)

I left with exactly zero dollars at the end of the night. Totally worth it.

My Cat's Gone National ...

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 21:31:38 -0700

I think that there is an empirical difference between the kind of people who would put their cats in a commercial and the kind who would not. I am one of the former. My Tuesday and Thursday A.M. spin instructor, however, is one of the later.

I found out this little nugget of information this morning as I was preparing for my inaugural L.A. spin class. I was lugging my spin cycle across the room (stupid stuck wheels) and overheard this little conversation.

Student: So how is your cat doing?

Instructor: She’s fine, thanks for asking.

S: I thought maybe the trauma might be too much for her.

I: Not for her. For ME. My cat went national before I did!

Immediately following this little conversational thread, she announced that she would have to end class early in order to make it to an audition and then proceeded to perform for us on her spin cycle (fist-pumping, Gene Simmons-ing with her tongue, making O faces, etc.).

Good morning, Stereotype.

Let’s be clear. I’m not judgeing. I just thought the whole exchange was very L.A. stereotypical. That’s all.

Book Soup versus Skylight (They're Both Amazing and Everyone Wins)

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 20:45:15 -0700

The fact of the matter is, when two things are this good, you don’t split hairs about varying degrees of good and better. It’s just a pointless exercise. That said, I had two VERY circumstantially different experiences in the two opposing indy bookstores, and so instead of doing my proposed East-side-Vs.-West-side battle of the bookies, I’m just going to talk about myself. (Because I’m self-indulgent, have no audience, and find myself fascinating.)

1.) Thursday night at Skylight Books: First of all, stepping out onto Vermont Ave. between Franklin and Hollywood felt just a little bit like coming home to me. I had officially resigned myself to being sans neighborhood (you know … real neighborhood) for the foreseeable future, and was thrilled (elated, excitied, happily flabergasted, I did a little clappity-dance) to find this very neighborhoody place so close (a short 10 blocks) from home.

When I walked into Skylight (after doing a quick two-blocks-in-each-direction sweep of the neighborhood), they were piping the Palin debates over the soundsystem, and the window display was COLOR CODED. All white books. (Note: On Friday, when I was back in the ‘hood to see a movie, the all-white window display had been swapped out for an all-orange one … silly happy lovely loveit).

Jonathan Ames was giving a reading — which would include no less than:

1. A printed handout of his balding pattern.

2. Several asides about how we shouldn’t shake his hand because he’s sick.

3. Two essay readings (including my all-time favorite: “I Shit My Pants in the South of France).

4. A brief Q&A session facilitated by nerdy, uber-fans (I’m just a normal fan … not like them at all).

5. Three Harrycalls (they sound like Chewbacca and are a little startling).

6. One signed book including disturbing doodle.

Over all impression: This is the kind of place that I could totally feel at home in — though the fact that you have to leave the store, walk a bit, and go in a separate entrance to get to the graphic novels, magazines, zines, and artsy books is a bit of a bummer. I left Skylight feeling like I’d found my little place in this big, L.A. world … but that was before I hit Book Soup.

2.) Saturday Night at Book Soup: First of all, there are a lot of contextual elements that predisposed this night to be better and therefore tipped the scales, making any unbiased review completely impossible. They are:

- I was going to see a reading by one of my favorite teachers from writing school, Joe Meno.(Yay, Joe!)

- It was Saturday night (hands down the best night of the week).

- Joe Tower (old college buddy) showed up and rocked my world by announcing that he, too, just moved to L.A.

- I drug my boyfriend along, so there wasn’t even a sliver of lonely in me.

Overall Impression: The reading was amazingly good (even if you discount my total bias) and the bookstore itself was slightly more inviting. The people who work there were friendlier — even encouraged me to go get a coffee across the street, “We don’t care if you bring it in, honest!” — than the slightly snobby Skylight staff (sorry guys, you weren’t horrid, but there was an air of nose-in-sky-ery).

So … there … that’s my first for real L.A. post. Hope it didn’t choke you with its shittiness.

(Via We heart it) So it’s time for a change, and while I...

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 17:26:25 -0700

(Via We heart it)

So it’s time for a change, and while I have decided to announce said change via picture-I’m-linking-to-without-having-to-put-much-thought-or-effort-into-creating-original-content, the new thrust is going to be all about orginal content.

See … I was talking to my new roommate the other night — I was sort of drunk, so some of the stuff had to pass through the red wine filter before it made sense, but eventually it made it to my conscious mind … yay! And he made a really good point about how I’m in a unique position to be really aware of … well everything. I’m in a new city — how often do you get to see a city with brand new eyes? Even if you travel a lot and bounce around like mad … it’s not every day you’re somewhere totally new. And the “I’m now a resident” perspective makes it all the more poignant.

So, I want to capture some of that before L.A. becomes “same old, same old,” like Chicago was becoming, before I start to pay less and less attetion, before it all starts to blend into real life instead of being this surreal experience that I’m knee-deep in.

So … enough with the tired picture links. Oh … there will be SOME of those, but they will be relevant and will be in the company of original thoughts.

(via chain peterwknox:lilyna:malty)

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 18:01:04 -0700

(via chain peterwknox:lilyna:malty)

An Earthquake Happened and I Didn't Even Notice ...

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 11:20:27 -0700

… Very disappointing. On the upside, I didn’t die from it either. So … Yay for that!

A few minutes before 8:00 p.m. last night, a small 3.0 earthquake shook the Westside. The quake, located two miles north of El Segundo caused no reported damage, but a cat might have jumped and tipped over a glass of milk or something. Nevertheless, each little microquake is a good reminder to think about preparing oneself for “the big one.” One good way is to participate in The Great Southern California ShakeOut where 3.7 million people have already signed up to drop, cover and hold on November 13.

didyouevernotice: (via Matthew Kendig)

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 12:56:07 -0700

didyouevernotice:

(via Matthew Kendig)

ignaciolpm: Guard well your spare moments. They are like uncut...

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 12:52:57 -0700

ignaciolpm:

Guard well your spare moments. They are like uncut diamonds. Discard them and their value will never be known. Improve them and they will become the brightest gems in a useful life.

- Ralph Waldo Emerson.

THIS is something I need to remember.

(via Threadless T-Shirts - Haikus are easy but… by Rolf...

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 10:18:48 -0700

(via Threadless T-Shirts - Haikus are easy but… by Rolf Nelson)

WANT

Frozen Yogurt ...

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 15:05:48 -0700

… People in L.A. must like them some frozen yogurt. It’s everywhere.

(Casual observation for the day.)

Japanese shoppers receive an estimated 30 billion plastic...

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 16:33:14 -0700

Japanese shoppers receive an estimated 30 billion plastic shopping bags each year, with about 30% of these being disposed of. In an attempt to reduce environmental problems, Triumph International Japan has created a new bra titled “No! Shopping Bag Bra” which can also be used as a shopping bag. (via Plastic Bamboo » Environmentally-friendly bra/shopping bag

)

(via FFFFOUND!) Dear Santa, THIS is what I want for Christmas....

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 16:25:12 -0700

(via FFFFOUND!)

Dear Santa,

THIS is what I want for Christmas. You hear me? WANT!

XOXOXO

(via FFFFOUND!) I tend to “huff” more so than to...

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 16:11:51 -0700

(via FFFFOUND!)

I tend to “huff” more so than to “puff,” but no matter my audible breathing style, I sweat profusely from places that shouldn’t be able to produce sweat (shins … forearms … )

Sarah Palin Baby Name Generator

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 13:58:03 -0700

Sarah Palin Baby Name Generator:

addam:

I’m Still Hardrock Palin. What is your Palin name?

Mine (sigh): Strangle Thicket Palin

(via didyouevernotice) Best use of a pie chart … possibly...

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 13:47:12 -0700

(via didyouevernotice)

Best use of a pie chart … possibly ever.

No, Mom, I Don't Wear Panty Hose or Navy Blue ...

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 13:38:53 -0700

… this bit of information has not changed since the last time you were flabergasted by it. Thanks for asking, again, though. I’m always happy to remind you.

Deja ... Oh Nevermind!

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 17:36:55 -0700

So, after experiencing a series of deja vu moments — literally, like six in a single afternoon — I started to doubt my own sanity. Am I sane? Am I suddenly maladjusted? Has my wiring gone screwy?

Nope … just turns out that something loaded wrong in my Feed Reader, so it was re-posting a bunch of crap. If I had been looking at my reader consistently, I probably would have noticed, but because I kept bouncing between that and real work, the re-exposures were broken up and so instead of being all like “Silly Feed Reader,” I was like: “Oh, crap. Insanity wasn’t in the plan.”

Mood: Sane (and relieved!)

And the cake gods smiled upon them, and they saw that it was good ...

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 11:58:13 -0700

(via caryrandolph)

MLF’S FIVE-MINUTE CHOCOLATE CAKE

4 tablespoons flour (I used whole wheat)
4 tablespoons sugar (I substituted Splenda for one tablespoon)
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 egg
3 tablespoons (skim) milk
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips
Small splash vanilla

Mix dry ingredients in mug (or bowl). Add egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in milk and oil and stir. Add chocolate chips and vanilla. Pop in microwave for about 3 minutes. Batter will rise over the top of the mug, but don’t freak out! This is normal. Allow to cool and tip onto plate. Garnish (if you feel fancy) with a dusting of powdered sugar or berries. Serves two (or one if you had a bad day like me and need a serious sugar overload).

Tip! I only had semisweet chocolate baking squares, not chips, so I chopped them up into big chunks and, when the mix was ready, “buried” them in the batter. They created that lava effect that is so prevalent in restaurant desserts and were truly delicious and over-the-top. I strongly recommend them as substitutes for dinkier, less dramatic chips.

in case you haven't noticed ...

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 10:20:16 -0700

… we’re not in kansas — er, chicago — anymore. (sidebar: i did pass thru the lovely, yawning state of kansas en route to los angeles, so that very nearly counts.)

via www.toothpastefordinner.com I can’t think of a better...

Sat, 13 Sep 2008 22:12:00 -0700

via www.toothpastefordinner.com

I can’t think of a better way to use them, frankly.