nothing

I have nothing to blog about lately.. I don't go anywhere, and when I do, it's not that amazing or interesting.. or not anything that I can post pix of.. hmmm. That makes it sound much more fascinating than it is. *evil grin* Ah,well..

If I ever get around to getting out there on my bike I may find something postable but I'm up to my knees in Math homework and history.. and I got a horrible headache from hitting my head on the windowsill in the house yesterday.. I'm keeping track, as if I suddenly black out we'll know why, right? The point is, I feel awful & not in the mood.

I've been volunteering when I can.. I purposely have been trying to cut back because I'm torn between being a pest, a permanent fixture, or running out of happiness credit. No, I don't know what that means either. But I do know I don't want people to be sick of seeing my ugly mug every morning. I keep thinking I'll do a post about the stuff I come across in my project(s) but then I think.. I don't work there, so it wouldn't be anything legitimate. Best to leave it alone for now. ;)

I find lately I miss my long walks more and more.. I miss the annual "Great LA Walk" our friend Mike puts on every year. I was thinking when the Spring session is over I'll have more time to go 'hiking' and maybe head up into the hills, or bus to Tilden Park or west to the Berkeley Marina and walk back.

The weather has gotten so lovely, the bike is desperate to be utilized. One of the things Berkeley is fortunate to have is the Bike Station- sort of a bike valet.. I was advised by a clerk there that BART pays for the space, probably to encourage commuting.. Since my U-Lock got busted last Fall I haven't bothered replacing it. If you leave your bike parked in the Bike Station, you don't need your U-Lock. Pretty neat huh?

I find I also miss the LA bike meander.. A friend of mine would have downtown LA neighbor/friends gather outside his loft in the Arts District on Sundays and the half dozen or so of us (whoever showed up) would ride around, meandering through the streets of LA/Boyle Heights and beyond. I was always at the back of the pack but I always had fun. It was definitely not one of those intense rides you see around the city. Just mellow.. If you can't pay attention to traffic & chat at the same time, you're going too fast.. "It's not a race.. it's a meander.." I'm so freaking out of shape at this point I don't know if I could handle a meander.. but it'd be worth it to find out. =)

Berkeley doesn't have an art walk.. Oakland has something called "First Fridays" but I've not gone. I remember when we first moved back to the Bay Area there were some issues with it, and I stayed away. I'm honestly not crazy about crowds anymore.

If I can get my act together (caught up with life) I'd like to start attending the Poetry Unbound events at Art House again. It's the first Sunday of the month I want to say.. The first 15 minutes is like an open mic and then they have some scheduled poets reading their works. It's pretty laid-back, comfortable and there's a good mix of funny, moving, romantic, emotional stuff being read. I never read my own bad poetry.. (because it's BAD poetry!) ;)

Then there's the whole history thing. I'm taking an online class right now, which makes me think it'll be the last online class I take for a while. As cranky as other people's bad habits make me (showing up late, eating, wandering in & out to use the bathroom) I miss the lecture aspect.

So here was a post about nothing. I guess it doesn't matter as I have no idea how many people actually show up & read this stuff anymore; probably not anyone I know these days! ;). (I realize I'm not writing about the Historic Core of LA. Oh, do I knew that!) I wish I had something to say, to share.. to enlighten, but I don't.. It's not a good time for me right now.. Maybe I should call this "Overwhelmed Pt 2" ..things aren't hard or difficult, just busy: I don't get out much and I miss friendly, familiar faces. Oh, and my head hurts.

I guess I should post more?

Wow no update since January. I'd tell you what I was up to for the last two months but it has nothing to do with downtown.. which means this blog is pretty limited.

On the other hand I've been updating my "diet blog" a couple times a week. I've lost 20lbs on Weight Watchers (we're doing the online version b/c I hate the idea of having to show up somewhere every week & confess my sins of not drinking enough liquids or explaining to a stranger why I opted for some Fresh & Easy chocolate..) I have about another 50 lbs to go. Yeah. Sitting on your butt really does harm your health.

The last story I did for Blogdowntown was last month on Sharlena's new place that will be opening in the summer. "Semi Sweet" I think it'll be a neat place and she'll be offering a really wide range of savory items.. not just the sweet stuff she's known for.

I've been to Michigan to visit my brother the week of St Patrick's Day. He's been very ill so I was grateful I got to spend time with him when I had the chance. I'll be headed back sometime this summer for a family gathering to celebrate his life.. He passed on not a week after I saw him. No I don't want to talk about it.

Honestly after that, blogging just doesn't seem so crucial at the moment. I haven't gotten out much in the past couple weeks either, so I really am not up on what's going on.

So what am I doing with my time?

I'm working on another of my new year's resolutions to do the family tree. My dad gave me a nice wedge of info to kick-start me again. I was up to 4am this morning working on it and got a little further along than what my dad had info for, so that's good. I'm working on my biological family tree as well. That's a totally different story not downtown related that I'm aware. There are some half-siblings I'm looking for but I don't think they live in DTLA; assuming they're living I'm leaning toward the IE and the bay area.. that's where I"m at with those clues.

Honestly the only thing I can scrape together that's even downtown related is the amount of dust that filters through our not-so-sealed 100year old windows. My allergies have been kicking up with the dust.. Sneezing by both me & the cats is pretty rampant here.

I'm trying to organize our stuff.. Going through stuff, boxing up the clutter and putting it all in one place to be gone through with Sean later: the stuff, not all of it mine, so it's not for me to just get rid of it. But yeah, looking at our place you'd never know I was into Simplicity.. not to mention I have a collecting gene myself I fight against. =)

I'm contemplating "Book Crossing" some of my older fiction books to clear some shelf space. Maybe donating to the library is quicker and less tedious, but Book Crossing might be fun too. I haven't Book Crossed anything since Berkeley maybe.. (my memory is going) and the couple books I sent 'into the wild' never really went anywhere, except an Ruth Rendell galley book.. which I guess horrified the reader who found it. Yeah, it was a creepy book. I didn't write it, so not sure why the person felt obliged to complain while doing their online review. Free is Free. If the book stinks, just pass it on.

If you've heard of "Book Crossing" do you know of any "Official" Book Crossing Zones in downtown LA?? Do you know of any friendly places to abandon a book to the wild? Please don't say the library or Disneyland.. it doesn't work there. Seriously.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Happy Thanksgiving Downtown Neighbors! SeanYoda & I had our Thanksgiving dinner last night.. so we'll be enjoying leftovers from here on out..

We got most our fixings from Trader Joe's..


stuffed turkey breast w/ cranberry stuffing..


cornbread stuffing, mashed sweet potatoes, gravy, and roasted veggies.. ("meat veggies" yum!)


OMG! Something's missing!! LOL.. we forgot to take out the cranberry sauce we'd picked up at Costco on Tuesday.. oh well!

pie...


it only looks like Seanyoda is going to cut his thumb off.. picked up the pie at Fresh & Easy.. good stuff!


meeko's pie.. yummy!

Hope your Thanksgiving is yummy.. no matter how you celerbrate..

Paneless Repair.. Fixing a Window on Main St.

Settling in at the new place we had some minor repairs that needed to be made.. and they all happened yesterday!

First our fridge got looked at (SeanYoda had noticed the door was offset just a bit and was preventing the light from going out when you closed the door) as even when the door was shut you could see some of the inside of the fridge was open to the outside. A replacement washer & some adjustment was all it took. Yay!

I also noticed a crack in one of windows.. which I was concerned would get bigger if there was another big earthquake like we had last summer. When they came to see about it they found another, more deeper crack that penetrated to the wire meshing that lined the center of the window panes. Eventually they came and replaced the pane entirely!


they had already removed the damaged pane..


Paneless View (I snuck a shot while they were measuring the new pane)


measuring & cutting..

replacing the glass


all fixed!

They did a pretty good job! I just wish we could look out the window, but many of these have the double-sided reinforced glass (which is good I think) but keeps one from seeing much.

I'm just very glad it's all taken care of now & can keep working on settling in. Yay! Old Bank District!

Monday draws to a close

SeanYoda got a new camera (Nikon D60) which I'll hopefully get to learn to use and be taking lots of pix in the future.
This is one of the test shots I took today. This was on auto with no flash through a tinted window.

Meeko on Main Street USA

It's been rather quiet here lately..

A different Main Street.. a different coast.

I'M MISSING ART WALK!
I will be missing my first Downtown Art Walk this year. I recall last year that I kept meaning to go, and then didn't. Putting it off seems silly now. I love Art Walk. I'm bummed I'm going to miss it.

There's several events to look forward to that night including some really great opportunities to get some fantastic art pieces for the holiday. (Be sure and check out Juie Rico's Gallery & Weeneez where some really cool art is available in her "Don't Go to the Mall" installation, as well some truly beautiful ceramic holiday bells will be hanging inside Weeneez. I heard there may be some smaller versions available for sale for under $30.

If you're in the mood for caroling, the First United Methodist Church of Los Angeles will be meeting up at 6th & Spring at 7pm Thursday evening for caroling around the neighborhood,(according to Ginny Case).

I love caroling but I'll be missing it. Instead I'll be enjoying some great handbell performances by one of my friends & his group at the Grand Floridian Resort in WDW (Walt Disney World). So you see I really do have a good excuse for missing stuff. Despite the scary rumors, there is just one of me.. (and we should all be thankful for that! LOL!).

No worries, I'm still trying to keep up with you all.. don't think I'm going to let my blog go completely silent these next handful of days. =) My posts may be tinged with a bit of "magic" and "pixie dust" (hey.. not that kind!) but I'll try to keep it slightly relevant & then back to the really good 4th & Main observations..

Night in the City

From Hope to Main

nothing new! Yes there is.. just not too exciting for me (and some just downright depressing).

San Fernando Bldg during the 'short' but very uncomfortable for those living there power outage last weekend (Helman & the Continental weren't affected).

-several days of crappy heat
-a panic worrying about my next move,(not that far.. around the corner)
-several nights of insomnia
-cats getting hairballs on the TJ's catfood
-celebrated my 7th anniversary a night early by going to see "Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" at (you guessed it)the El Cap over at Hollywood & Highland. hmmm maybe I could do a review but then, what's the surprise in that?
-several walks to clear my head and not succeeding..
-wondering what's next?

Also around the neighborhood:
-filming at old bank dvd is still going on all day today;(rent a movie tomorrow?)

Cool stuff coming up in the next few days but wow! all at the same time after days of nothin' much:

-Streetcar coming to Broadway? Want to know more you can register at the door early a.m Thursday morning the 22nd. It's an all-day thing so hope your schedule is free! $25 for residents (otherwise it's $50).

-Art Festival at ArtShare in the Arts District, sponsored by LARABA and curated by Lilli Muller. Cool stuff and I hear Ed Fuentes is going to have a piece in it. ;) Not to mention about 30 other cool people... Susan Bolles, Emmerich, and Robert Vargas among the noted. That event is from 7pm to Midnight, so no excuse not to go and check it out and maybe contribute a little or a lot. Just saying. =)

-Also tomorrow night is the Zocolo event at the LATC.. for the taco truck! That is at 7pm and you need to be pre-registered for that. It's free and who doesn't love the ubiquitous taco trucks?

-

See? I really didn't have anything to post.. how about some pix? =)


A present for the Higgins at 2nd & Main in the late evening.. a giant crane to wake you with more construction.

Bike or Bus.. (or walk!)

Near City Hall, while running errands yesterday morning.

this installment dedicated to White Boy/ White Dog and his noisy crane.

something to be happy about

good stuff: LA BIKE MEANDER! (and the power is back on at the San Fernando).

ps: I got a fun video coming up I promised Mr Cornish. ;P Soon!

It's still the 3BN.. right?

This time is full of so much.. I know I was going to have some photos but I'm choosing instead to use ones I have already..

I still find it amazing my shaking hands took this photo.

Lost Souls.. I keep thinking I've lost my compass.. I'm making decisions I'm not used to dealing with.

Today I looked at a place in the Continental (still GilVille) and a couple hours later, having to still clean up & turn in the keys in South Park.. (a couple conference calls and a trip to the bank), not to mention we're still not 'moved in' or 'settled' into the one here on Main, I find myself in another flux.

I have a place. It's co-signed.. However, it will be mine. More changes to come in June. All this to enjoy the silence and the process of the thought. Quiet Writing and creation. Hopefully, a blooming of work as well.



Times like this I miss my compass. I'll be taking possession about a year & three weeks to the day. I'll have his namesake (Alexander), and Kiki to keep me company though.

EDIT: UPDATE: KEYS ARE TURNED IN.. No More "South Park" for this girl who walks/meanders downtown =)
this installment is again dedicated to BigCityPoz & perhaps to my Honorary Uncle LA & Tante Janine, who I still miss very much.