"There are two ways of getting home; and one of them is to stay there." GKC
Greetings!
I've recently returned from sunny southern California, only to be bombarded by this constant rain. Almost makes me want to close up shop and get a U-haul. I had so many experiences and I'd like to share some of them with you.
1. I drove, for the first time, on a proper (crazy) freeway. The 5 and the 15. Not as bad as everyone makes it out to be, but sucky non-the-less. The hardest part for me was when I was in a far left lane and I was parallel with someone in a middle lane - I would use my right turn signal to display that I wanted to get into the lane between us and they wouldn't signal and would just go! Kinda freaky. I had a couple situations like that, but I think they're probably pretty unavoidable.
2. Salad and Fruit which do not have their genesis in a hydroponic vat of goo actually have a flavor and texture unlike most anything you can receive in this part of the states. California is an odd land where the tomatoes taste like tomatoes and and the snausberries taste like snausberries.
3. The trolley system in San Diego is great! If you do ever go save a couple bucks and take the rental car back early because you can use the trolley system to get you anywhere you want. We stayed in a place called little Italy and were about a block from a station. Each night (after the wedding that we went down there for was over) we would take the train either downtown or uptown. We even rode the train to Tijuana (more on that later)!
4. Do not, I repeat, do NOT piss off anyone from the Transportation Security Administration! (TSA). I guess I must have done something wrong and this one woman not only caused my flight to be delayed for more than 45 minutes, but also caused the connecting flight to be delayed. Needless to say I was also "randomly" chosen to be searched and my bags were also oddly enough "randomly" chosen to be displayed in front of everyone three minutes before my flight was due to take off. If only this randomness struck me in vegas, then I could afford to live in San Diego. All because, I guess, she didn't like the way I looked and marked a special letter on my ticket and baggage. Or it could have been because I had a ticket agent (who bumped us earlier) explain that we'd already been through security and that we needed to cut in line in order to catch apparently the only flight to Omaha that day. So, a very special thank you to Marta from the TSA. You are truly a credit to your institution and should be proud of the power you can yield with your highlighter.
5. Finally, I was able to visit, what they call, Mt. Soledad, which is the highest point down there, and it's up in the richest part by the town of La Jolla. It was one of the most beautiful places I've ever been to in my life. You could see for miles around you and actually carve out the different suburbs. There was a huge veterans memorial that was on top of the mountain. The memorial was a huge beautiful white cross. A couple friends I was with who happened to live out there said that a court decision was recently held that would require them to take down the cross. The people I was with seemed to think that this was wrong. I don't think it was wrong at all. I'm not going to get into the Con Law part of things (Lemon test and all that) mostly because I haven't taken a proper Con Law course yet, but this one seemed easy. So easy, in fact, that I was surprised that this cross lasted as long as it did in California of all places. People of all faiths served and died for this country and we shouldn't honor them through a Christian symbol.
Further, this movement was being pushed by a modern non-vetran athiest. Why? Persons of the Jewish, Muslim and other faiths have bought my earthly freedom by shedding their blood, but I honestly doubt any atheists did. What is honor or freedom or righteousness to an atheist? What would they be fighting for?
Oh well, another post perhaps. It's good to be back. Todd, I hope your Grandmother is better. Kelly, stop reading this and get back to your novel! The deadline is June 20th and if I don't have a copy by the fourth of July it's your hide!
I've recently returned from sunny southern California, only to be bombarded by this constant rain. Almost makes me want to close up shop and get a U-haul. I had so many experiences and I'd like to share some of them with you.
1. I drove, for the first time, on a proper (crazy) freeway. The 5 and the 15. Not as bad as everyone makes it out to be, but sucky non-the-less. The hardest part for me was when I was in a far left lane and I was parallel with someone in a middle lane - I would use my right turn signal to display that I wanted to get into the lane between us and they wouldn't signal and would just go! Kinda freaky. I had a couple situations like that, but I think they're probably pretty unavoidable.
2. Salad and Fruit which do not have their genesis in a hydroponic vat of goo actually have a flavor and texture unlike most anything you can receive in this part of the states. California is an odd land where the tomatoes taste like tomatoes and and the snausberries taste like snausberries.
3. The trolley system in San Diego is great! If you do ever go save a couple bucks and take the rental car back early because you can use the trolley system to get you anywhere you want. We stayed in a place called little Italy and were about a block from a station. Each night (after the wedding that we went down there for was over) we would take the train either downtown or uptown. We even rode the train to Tijuana (more on that later)!
4. Do not, I repeat, do NOT piss off anyone from the Transportation Security Administration! (TSA). I guess I must have done something wrong and this one woman not only caused my flight to be delayed for more than 45 minutes, but also caused the connecting flight to be delayed. Needless to say I was also "randomly" chosen to be searched and my bags were also oddly enough "randomly" chosen to be displayed in front of everyone three minutes before my flight was due to take off. If only this randomness struck me in vegas, then I could afford to live in San Diego. All because, I guess, she didn't like the way I looked and marked a special letter on my ticket and baggage. Or it could have been because I had a ticket agent (who bumped us earlier) explain that we'd already been through security and that we needed to cut in line in order to catch apparently the only flight to Omaha that day. So, a very special thank you to Marta from the TSA. You are truly a credit to your institution and should be proud of the power you can yield with your highlighter.
5. Finally, I was able to visit, what they call, Mt. Soledad, which is the highest point down there, and it's up in the richest part by the town of La Jolla. It was one of the most beautiful places I've ever been to in my life. You could see for miles around you and actually carve out the different suburbs. There was a huge veterans memorial that was on top of the mountain. The memorial was a huge beautiful white cross. A couple friends I was with who happened to live out there said that a court decision was recently held that would require them to take down the cross. The people I was with seemed to think that this was wrong. I don't think it was wrong at all. I'm not going to get into the Con Law part of things (Lemon test and all that) mostly because I haven't taken a proper Con Law course yet, but this one seemed easy. So easy, in fact, that I was surprised that this cross lasted as long as it did in California of all places. People of all faiths served and died for this country and we shouldn't honor them through a Christian symbol.
Further, this movement was being pushed by a modern non-vetran athiest. Why? Persons of the Jewish, Muslim and other faiths have bought my earthly freedom by shedding their blood, but I honestly doubt any atheists did. What is honor or freedom or righteousness to an atheist? What would they be fighting for?
Oh well, another post perhaps. It's good to be back. Todd, I hope your Grandmother is better. Kelly, stop reading this and get back to your novel! The deadline is June 20th and if I don't have a copy by the fourth of July it's your hide!
5 Comments:
Ha! Good luck on that. I'm just over two-thirds done with the draft. Unless you think you can help me edit, then you'll have to wait a while.
Sounds like you had a good trip.
Well...art can be rushed!
Also; I ain't be no help -n- editing as you'all's can be tellin' by my postes.
I had an ok time. I'm thinking of doing a music countdown like you're doing with Metal. I think I would do it completly subjective rather than put a genre behind it because I want to include things like "Blister in the sun" by the Violent Femmes and "Dumb Blonde" by Dolly Parton. Is there a genre that encompasses these? Either way, may I have permission to plagiarize?
Hmm . . . you could pick a genre and then stretch to fit a particular song, or you can give some valid reason for including the song.
John:
Congratulations on surviving an authentic metropolitan freeway! I learned to drive on freeways in Dallas so I understand fully the risks, thrills and near-death experiences that entails. You have NOT lived until you find yourself in the left lane (which should NEVER happen unless you are going at LEAST 25 over the speed limit or need to take a left off-ramp)and someone approaches you at such a high speed you just know he is going to plow right through your car, and begins to flash his headlights at you to get the heck out of his way (customary in Texas) and if you don't get over he will either give you a good long finger or may simply begin shooting. The other wonderful experience is when you are on a two-lane highway and someone passes you on your right (that is, you are in the right lane and he or she passes you using the SHOULDER!) Not at all uncommon in Texas. Nuts, just plain nuts.
Also, I don't have all the facts, but based on what you describe, I cannot see what's wrong with the cross. Who put the cross there? First of all, who said those non-Christian dead WERE being honored with the cross? Shouldn't those Muslims, Jews, Buddhist, etc. get their acts together and honor their own dead if they want? Can't they? Why say, "If the Muslims, Buddhists, Satanists and Oprah-ites cannot be honored, then no one can?" I don't get it. Also, you said people of "all" faiths. Does that mean that if, in fact, only three faiths are represented by the dead in that cemetery that a cross would be O.K.? Two faiths? If one Christian is buried next to one Muslim, and that's it, then no cross over the grave of the Chrisian? Why on earth not? If that's O.K., then why not one cross for MANY dead Cristians? I am baffled.
You are right about the atheist. The atheist should worry the least about crosses and other such nonsense. He should be no more inclined to complain here than if I drove a banner into the ground over the precious fragments of my aunty or uncle with a picture of me on it and which read underneath, "God Almighty". In other words, you see one lunatic you've seen 'em all.
I almost forgot: It was nice to see the word "sucky" back in circulation. Seems like the last time I heard that one was, gosh, when I was in high school maybe. I shall make it a point to use it at least three times this week.
John: I am almost finished reading "Manalive". Love it.
On Innocent Smith . . . "He had somehow made the giant stride from babyhood to manhood, and missed that crisis of youth when most of us grow old." Isn't that grand?
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