The Morning Welcome

Walk in the office, walk by the MD, I get, "How's the golf game coming son?"

Yup.

Thought from a Walk

Just got back from a nice walk to the park and three events happened.

My job is smoke and mirrors. Yes I have learned a good amount about the arena and field in which I work, but it is mostly smoke and mirrors. I can throw around alot of buzz words and when people talk about the subject of my work I will be able to participate. That being said, my role in the grand scheme of things is quite tangential and can't say I have accomplished much.

The clouds that were so prevalent this morning have cleared up. When I drove into work this morning the weather was quite gloomy - and to be direct - cold. Thought I almost should wear a jacket when I looked out my window this morning. But this California weather is crazy and when I went out for my walk, I noticed how beautiful of a day it is.

Using leashes on kids is wrong. Saw a dad who had twin kids both with leashes on - holding one in each hand like he was racing these kids in the Iditarod. Mush kids mush. One kid tried to take his sunglasses off and the right leash was violently jerked and then the kid was disciplined. It's not right what was happening there.

Conversation Piece

Went to the doctor the other day to try to get my ear checked out and an interesting conversation ensued amongst those in the waiting room (the doctor showed up 45 minutes late for his first appointment <circa 5 o'clock>). The conversation was between four patients, and the nurse. Here is the play-by-play:

Lady 1: It has been so hot recently, how have you been holding up Rosa (nurse).
Nurse: Just glad to be in the office with the air conditioning.
Lady 2: Tell me about it, the walk from my house to the car to get over here was horrible!
Man 1: Yeah, and on top of that, the traffic is absolutely nuts getting here.
Lady 3: What freeways you take?
Lady 1: Bet you took the 10 huh?
Man 1: Yeah, 110 to 10
Lady 2: My brother said you shouldn't get on the 10 after 2:45 any day, particularly the weekday.
Man 1: Well I suppose I had no choice, had to come see the 'doc.
Lady 1: Traffic been bad for you recently son? (to me)
Me: Yeah (giggle giggle)

(TV showing what to do if there's a Tornado in your area)

Lady 1: Isn't it crazy how tornados can destroy one block, and leave the next looking perfectly fine? I could never get used to that...
Lady 2: Yeah you could, you'd get used to it.
Lady 1: No I couldn't
Lady 2: Yeah you could.

Lady 1: No I couldn't

Lady 2: Yeah you could.

Lady 1: No I couldn't

Lady 2: Yeah you could.

Lady 1: No I couldn't

Lady 2: Yeah you could.

Lady 1: No I couldn't

Lady 2: Yeah you could.

Lady 1: No I couldn't

Lady 2: Yeah you could.

Man 1: My aunty lives in Missouri and they get them all the time, took me a long time to get used to Earthquakes around here, but you get used to it.

Lady 1: Well I am used to Earthquakes after livin here a while, I guess I could get used to tornadoes. 

Lady 2: Where is Missouri is your aunty from?

Man 1: Jefferson County area.

(Television shows ways to get kids to go outside and play more often. An example was to trick your kids into going for a walk by making it into a game such as looking for a house with a red door)

Lady 2: They think these kids is dumb?

Lady 3: Kids on my street? Never see them outside. (looks at me for my approval)

Me: Yeah, kids these days just play video games all day, when I was a kid my mom had to tell me to come inside. Used to be if the street lights were coming on you better be...

Lady 1: Coming Home! My mama used to tell us kids the same damn thing! But kids these days...

Man 1: Yeah, the kids these days all they do is play video games, all day.

Lady 1: On second thought, I don't think I could get used to Tornadoes.

Life Decisions

At some point in my life I will move from my current estate. I will bid farewell to my neighbors. I will bid farewell to my friends at the gym. I will bid farewell to those who wake up early on weekends to have fervent discussions regarding our incarceration system. No longer will I have seventy fast food options in a one block radius. Gone will be the days of the dual laundry-mat barbershop experience. These things will pass be by in a similar manor of how they entered - as a path to something bigger and better. Strictly "better" you ask? I guess we will save that discussion for another day, but I feel comfortable in at least labeling the next stage of my life as bigger. Bigger in scope - and bigger in size. I will begin a life of doing things I do not do know - leaving some activities forever in the past. 

Recently I interviewed some people who live in my neighborhood and I will show you the answers they gave me to the question "how did you come to live here?" Anonymous responses were:

"It's a good location as far as being a substantial radius from any public park."

"The rent is a good price for what my family needs."

"There are alot of nice up and coming restaurants in the area."

"Just graduated college and I'm in grad school so this is a good area as far as meeting other young people."

"25 to life aint shit."

"I have been looking for an area that had a laundry-mat and barbershop in one."

"Wanted to live amongst real people - tired of the Hollywood stereotypes."

"People in this area are very eclectic - I need that in my life."

"Its a great location for everything in LA"

I would share more, as I interviewed nearly 500 people, but the rest of the answers are within the scope of the above sample. Suffice to say - we are a common ilk. 

But I digress.

As you probably deduced by now my topic comes to an issue I have as far as what I will do when I find a new location - and is one that I am sure all of you readers have faced as you move to more ritzy areas. Should I:

1) Buy a slick coffee maker that allows me to have steamed milk and cappuccino and all that kind of stuff in order to offer people or give people something to do when they come visit me in my new pad.

or

2) Live near a place with a good coffee shop that I can make an event out of "going to grab a cup."

I want someone to be impressed by the selection of activities I have to do in my new neighborhood, yet I struggle to also show that I am sophisticated and have a nice coffee maker that can do alot of different, nice things. I mostly want to have a few nice coffee shops in the area to take visitors, yet I want a nice machine for myself in order to brew something nice when I need a little caffeine fix to stay awake and read and study and advance my knowledge.

This is my conundrum.