Friday, December 4, 2009
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Sprinkles Cupcakes: Banana Edition
Made with Bourbon vanilla and topped with bittersweet chocolate frosting. I had this one the day after I had the first one. Still delicious. Still 550 calories.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Sunday, November 1, 2009
DIA DE LOS MUERTOS! Tim and I went down to old L.A. this morning to check out the scene. Tim just left. :(
This weekend I saw some celebrities. LET ME LIST THEM!
1) I went to the L.A. premiere of the new Wes Anderson Movie Fantastic Mr. Fox. It was a great movie, perhaps my favorite Wes Anderson yet. My co-worker and I got kind of bad seats for the movie (they were free tickets) BUT that meant that we got to sit really close to Wes Anderson, Jason Schwartzman and Bill Murray while they introduced it. Also Judd Apatow was sitting behind us? I only know this because the industry groupies sitting next to us were freaking out about it.
2) Tim and I went to the West Hollywood Halloween Parade. It kind of sucked, but one good thing DID come of it. While T-Bone was waiting in line at Gelson's to use the restroom, I was hanging out in the store, which was pretty empty because it was midnight. (Gelson's is like a Stop and Shop/Whole Foods hybrid.) Some guys came in and one was dressed up as Larry David. Then he yelled "My wife!" and I looked in front of me and there was Cheryl David dressed as a witch! It was pretty weird, and the guy just couldn't get over the coincidence. She was friendly and took a picture with him
3) While walking home from West Hollywood (WHICH TOOK FOREVER BUT THE BUSES WEREN'T RUNNING) I saw Ray Romano's TV mom outside Ivan Kane's Cafe. It was not very remarkable. I debated including it on the list, but she seemed a little drunk and was arguing with her other old lady friend, so that was funny.
4) This morning in The 101, a personal favorite, I saw Colin Hanks. Son of Tom Hanks, he plays the priest on Mad Men. I was sitting at a booth and he smiled at me as he was leaving. It took me a few seconds to think of who he was, but then I got it! He does a good job playing that priest, but he's going to hell because he wasn't in church.
The 101 is great, and it is right behind my house so if you come visit I'll take you there. It doesn't give off the appearance of trying too hard to be retro, though the website might lead you to believe otherwise. I really appreciate that it is so close to me.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
THREE POSTS!
I guess I must be trying to make up for the lack of posting I've been doing. Either that or it is the coffee milkshake I had a few hours ago that I assumed wouldn't have coffee in it because I am a dumb dumb!
Anyway, I've been writing some mini character sketches about some of the people I meet at work. I think I might start putting them up here. I am sorry if they are boring, but you will get to know some of my regular clients this way. These aren't real interactions but they are inspired by real interactions. Some are pieced together and other stuff is made up to get the point across quickly. I wish all of my friends could meet my clients, but this is the best I can do. First one up is DOM! (I change their names.) I swear in this, because he swears incessantly. You have been warned!
Dom is quick to judge the street sweepers.
“Look, Miss Addison, don’t put me down here. Sweepin’ no streets. That’ll tarnish me.”
He looks at me, his mouth agape a little.
“I know you know I need a job. I appreciate what you’re trying to do. I’m just saying putting me down here, in that damn purple t-shirt, it won’t work. People will come up to me and say ‘Dom, what the hell you doing down here? ‘The fuck are you doing, cleaning up Skid Row? What the hell happened, man?’”
Dom is a homeless vet. He has lived in Skid Row for 15 years, but he’s too proud to admit to being from “down here.” He is also very proud of his service to our country. Dom spent two years in the Navy: 1985-1987. He is just as proud as the recent vets that come into the office after getting back from Iraq and Afghanistan. He is even prouder than the Viet Nam vets that come into the office after years on the streets. The Viet Nam veterans wear hats that state their status as such, but they are pretty quiet about their time in the service. Dom is not.
“They’ll see me down here cleaning up trash and needles, people know I’m a veteran, and they will think something is fucking wrong with me.”
Dom lives off his SSI and I want to say “there is something wrong with you, Dom. Yesterday you told me you “always felt like a cat all day on Tuesdays.’”
“Sorry about the language. Two years in the fucking Navy, though, I come by it honest.”
Anyway, I've been writing some mini character sketches about some of the people I meet at work. I think I might start putting them up here. I am sorry if they are boring, but you will get to know some of my regular clients this way. These aren't real interactions but they are inspired by real interactions. Some are pieced together and other stuff is made up to get the point across quickly. I wish all of my friends could meet my clients, but this is the best I can do. First one up is DOM! (I change their names.) I swear in this, because he swears incessantly. You have been warned!
Dom is quick to judge the street sweepers.
“Look, Miss Addison, don’t put me down here. Sweepin’ no streets. That’ll tarnish me.”
He looks at me, his mouth agape a little.
“I know you know I need a job. I appreciate what you’re trying to do. I’m just saying putting me down here, in that damn purple t-shirt, it won’t work. People will come up to me and say ‘Dom, what the hell you doing down here? ‘The fuck are you doing, cleaning up Skid Row? What the hell happened, man?’”
Dom is a homeless vet. He has lived in Skid Row for 15 years, but he’s too proud to admit to being from “down here.” He is also very proud of his service to our country. Dom spent two years in the Navy: 1985-1987. He is just as proud as the recent vets that come into the office after getting back from Iraq and Afghanistan. He is even prouder than the Viet Nam vets that come into the office after years on the streets. The Viet Nam veterans wear hats that state their status as such, but they are pretty quiet about their time in the service. Dom is not.
“They’ll see me down here cleaning up trash and needles, people know I’m a veteran, and they will think something is fucking wrong with me.”
Dom lives off his SSI and I want to say “there is something wrong with you, Dom. Yesterday you told me you “always felt like a cat all day on Tuesdays.’”
“Sorry about the language. Two years in the fucking Navy, though, I come by it honest.”
Also
Today I saw Ann Veal from Arrested Development on Sunset after I got out of Where the Wild Things Are... which was really bad. Don't go see it!
I don't think that I can take it! 'Cause it took so long to bake it! And I'll never have that recipe again!
So recently LA has been getting on my nerves. Mostly for the past week. Let me tell you why!
1) It's too hot here! It's October, it shouldn't be 93. I've been told that October is often the hottest month, because of the coming and going of the Santa Ana winds. Anyway, there's no fall and it's hotter here now than it was in August.
2) The men. The way men treat women here is terrible. I have mostly only experienced superficial indicators of what must be a larger problem. The other day I was walking on the subway platform toward the stairs, when I passed a guy sitting on a bench. He then proceeded to whistle and click his tongue. I thought he was calling a dog. He kept doing it so I turned around to see where this dog was. He was calling me! The dillweed.
3) Rain. I miss rain. DEARLY. I think living here will cure my Seasonal Affective Disorder. My roommate and I watched, and enjoyed, Twilight just because of the rainy weather. I don't even remember anything the characters said. I just needed to see and hear rain. (When it wasn't terrible CGI, which it often was.)
Right now I am just a little miffed at the city. I'll get over it. LA did have one saving grace this week: MacArthur Park, the song, by Richard Harris. I heard it playing in the bathroom as my LA-native roommate was getting ready and I knocked on the door and I was like "what song is this? I LOVE IT!" and she told me. It's named after MacArthur Park, which is near downtown LA. I enjoy the love/cake metaphor and the mention of a "strip-ed pair of pants." Please enjoy! (You don't have to listen to the whole thing, just a minute or two.)
1) It's too hot here! It's October, it shouldn't be 93. I've been told that October is often the hottest month, because of the coming and going of the Santa Ana winds. Anyway, there's no fall and it's hotter here now than it was in August.
2) The men. The way men treat women here is terrible. I have mostly only experienced superficial indicators of what must be a larger problem. The other day I was walking on the subway platform toward the stairs, when I passed a guy sitting on a bench. He then proceeded to whistle and click his tongue. I thought he was calling a dog. He kept doing it so I turned around to see where this dog was. He was calling me! The dillweed.
3) Rain. I miss rain. DEARLY. I think living here will cure my Seasonal Affective Disorder. My roommate and I watched, and enjoyed, Twilight just because of the rainy weather. I don't even remember anything the characters said. I just needed to see and hear rain. (When it wasn't terrible CGI, which it often was.)
Right now I am just a little miffed at the city. I'll get over it. LA did have one saving grace this week: MacArthur Park, the song, by Richard Harris. I heard it playing in the bathroom as my LA-native roommate was getting ready and I knocked on the door and I was like "what song is this? I LOVE IT!" and she told me. It's named after MacArthur Park, which is near downtown LA. I enjoy the love/cake metaphor and the mention of a "strip-ed pair of pants." Please enjoy! (You don't have to listen to the whole thing, just a minute or two.)
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
This Post is for Caroline Barba
Some guy from Lost was in the same line as me at Trader Joe's tonight. If I watched the show, I'm sure I'd know who he was! The checkout guy had to tell us; I was lost!
It wasn't the guy who was also in Lord of the Rings, and it also wasn't that wicked fat guy.
It wasn't the guy who was also in Lord of the Rings, and it also wasn't that wicked fat guy.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
I just went to Beauty Bar. I said "no thank you, I like real men" to drink offers from guys who were really into gambling and financing box office flops and really into hating reading. My turn down made more sense in context (and it wasn't 100% mean). I love my biff! (Biff feels my statement needs explanation: When asked how I liked Hollywood, I said it didn't seem real. They did budgets for action movies. I said that didn't sound like a real job. They said their hobby was gambling, I said that wasn't a real hobby, etc. It was all in pretty much in jest.) Other than that, I had a great time. You get a manicure when you order a martini. But... I didn't get a martini. I got me two cocktails. (Tim just told me martinis and cocktails are the same thing. I thought the glasses made them different. This is why I drink beer all the time, I guess!) Also they do your makeup, if you want, when you walk in the door. I also didn't take them up on that because I already had mascara on and, CLEARLY, I was DONE. We started the whole club a-dancin', and some English ladies said I looked like the girl from Harry Potter, but without the frizzy hair. YEAH RIGHT!
Next time, I won't edit my post so much, I'll just do a better job FROM THE GET GO
Next time, I won't edit my post so much, I'll just do a better job FROM THE GET GO
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Fall in Los Angeles
I just have a few words about fall in LA. Basically, it doesn't exist in the way that we are all used to. However, after a week of searing heat, thanks to the Devil Winds, 72 degrees does seem a lot cooler. I caught myself saying "ooh, it's nippy this morning!" It was 68. I think a lot of the reason people here wear sweatshirts when it's 70 is because wearing t shirts and sleeveless dresses all the time gets boring and you'll wear a sweater as soon as the weather is cool enough so you don't sweat all day.
Also, LA is not as into Halloween as I'd like it to be. AND I found out that other people know that Massachusetts loves Halloween. My co-workers were like "oh well it makes sense that you like Halloween so much, because you're from Massachusetts." WEIRD!
Also, LA is not as into Halloween as I'd like it to be. AND I found out that other people know that Massachusetts loves Halloween. My co-workers were like "oh well it makes sense that you like Halloween so much, because you're from Massachusetts." WEIRD!
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Friday, September 25, 2009
On Respect, The Devil Winds, and Ron Jeremy
Here are some updates!
1) It is Santa Ana Winds season, and it is brutal. It's 100 degrees all the time. I don't know if it's the pollution or what, but the sun here is either a blinding white or a blinding orange. It's always blinding! It think the extreme heats adds to my perception, but my sunglasses broke and this hasn't been a fun week and a half. The winds should stop soon, and it should be back down into the seventies. They are also called the "Devil Winds."
2) I saw Ron Jeremy on my way to the grocery store. I have to walk by the Chinese theater to get to the Fresh and Easy (which is where I like to shop when I don't want to drive to Trader Joe's; we'll be getting a TJ's a block away soon, though!). I think the fact that I have to walk by this world famous landmark to get milk is pretty bizarre by itself. Hollywood never seems real. The premiere of "Zombieland" was happening, so there were a lot of people around. Lots of Asian tourists, lots of people dressed up as zombies, etc. The people who wear dumb one-piece costumes and beg everyone to take their pictures with them so they can then ask for a dollar were out in full force. There are usually a lot, but there were like seven Jack Sparrows and four Spidermen on Wednesday. Plus all the other characters like Cinderella, Shrek and this guy who just dresses up like a general "pimp." I call him "Cool Daddy" because I imagine that's what the tag on the costume read when he bought it at Wal*Mart four days after Halloween. There was this little man dressed up like Chuckie and he stabbed me with his stupid plastic knife. I was just trying to get to the Fresh and Easy!
Anyway, I was standing near the crosswalk leaning against the light post trying to call T-Bone when I saw someone in the crosswalk coming toward me. He looked kind of familiar, and homeless. Naturally, I assumed he was a client so I panicked a little bit because I've yet to meet one outside of skid row. As I was wondering what to say, I realized it wasn't a homeless man I knew from work, but it was Ron Jeremy. He was with someone who also looked vaguely familiar. I think his friend was either a wrestler or a Corey Haim style celebrity. Anyway, right after I realized who he was he passed me by putting his hand on my hip and saying "'scuse me, baby." Tim didn't answer. He could have been on the phone with me for it, but he didn't answer.
3) The lady with the father who is a veteran of various future wars came in again. I caught her earlier in the week trying to put my co-worker down as her employer on some kind of check cashing website. I am 100% sure it was a fraud and had her identity not presented far more problems than lucrative possibilities to potential thieves, it would have been stolen real quick. Also, she was trying to write herself a check for $816,000. She came in to ask for tokens to go to another "telemarketing recruitment center." She had a flyer. I have no idea what a "telemarketing recruitment center" looks like, but I imagine it is lit with dirty yellow bulbs and inexplicably filled with a constant low hum and/or monotone beep. You can make $8,000 dollars a week! No Experence necesary! Will We'll Train You! So she came in to get her tokens, and she just went off. At first, she wanted to let me know that the reason she doesn't have a job is because she knows how to keep her hands to herself, and it's all about respect. Then, it was on to classical ballet. After that she let me know that no, she would not be a modeling instructor nor an assistant modeling instructor. Then it was time to stand up, and address the wall like it were a small boy. "You" she told the wall, "You are a boy. A child. You cannot have other boys as boyfriends. You can't like other boys. It will ruin your energies! You have energies! One day, we want to call you REVOLUTION!" She was pointing and yelling now. "One day, we want to call you REVEREND LEWIS." Then she looks at me, and waits for me to speak. I had to think of something benign again, something that would not cause her to lose it and lunge for the letter-opener that I have now hidden in my locking drawer. Something that she could relate to. I said what came first; "Yeah, well, it's all about respect."
GOLD.
"Thank you very much Miss Addison. Have a nice day." And out she goes, her immaculate-except-for-the-tin-can-glued-on-top rolling suitcase in tow.
1) It is Santa Ana Winds season, and it is brutal. It's 100 degrees all the time. I don't know if it's the pollution or what, but the sun here is either a blinding white or a blinding orange. It's always blinding! It think the extreme heats adds to my perception, but my sunglasses broke and this hasn't been a fun week and a half. The winds should stop soon, and it should be back down into the seventies. They are also called the "Devil Winds."
2) I saw Ron Jeremy on my way to the grocery store. I have to walk by the Chinese theater to get to the Fresh and Easy (which is where I like to shop when I don't want to drive to Trader Joe's; we'll be getting a TJ's a block away soon, though!). I think the fact that I have to walk by this world famous landmark to get milk is pretty bizarre by itself. Hollywood never seems real. The premiere of "Zombieland" was happening, so there were a lot of people around. Lots of Asian tourists, lots of people dressed up as zombies, etc. The people who wear dumb one-piece costumes and beg everyone to take their pictures with them so they can then ask for a dollar were out in full force. There are usually a lot, but there were like seven Jack Sparrows and four Spidermen on Wednesday. Plus all the other characters like Cinderella, Shrek and this guy who just dresses up like a general "pimp." I call him "Cool Daddy" because I imagine that's what the tag on the costume read when he bought it at Wal*Mart four days after Halloween. There was this little man dressed up like Chuckie and he stabbed me with his stupid plastic knife. I was just trying to get to the Fresh and Easy!
Anyway, I was standing near the crosswalk leaning against the light post trying to call T-Bone when I saw someone in the crosswalk coming toward me. He looked kind of familiar, and homeless. Naturally, I assumed he was a client so I panicked a little bit because I've yet to meet one outside of skid row. As I was wondering what to say, I realized it wasn't a homeless man I knew from work, but it was Ron Jeremy. He was with someone who also looked vaguely familiar. I think his friend was either a wrestler or a Corey Haim style celebrity. Anyway, right after I realized who he was he passed me by putting his hand on my hip and saying "'scuse me, baby." Tim didn't answer. He could have been on the phone with me for it, but he didn't answer.
3) The lady with the father who is a veteran of various future wars came in again. I caught her earlier in the week trying to put my co-worker down as her employer on some kind of check cashing website. I am 100% sure it was a fraud and had her identity not presented far more problems than lucrative possibilities to potential thieves, it would have been stolen real quick. Also, she was trying to write herself a check for $816,000. She came in to ask for tokens to go to another "telemarketing recruitment center." She had a flyer. I have no idea what a "telemarketing recruitment center" looks like, but I imagine it is lit with dirty yellow bulbs and inexplicably filled with a constant low hum and/or monotone beep. You can make $8,000 dollars a week! No Experence necesary! Will We'll Train You! So she came in to get her tokens, and she just went off. At first, she wanted to let me know that the reason she doesn't have a job is because she knows how to keep her hands to herself, and it's all about respect. Then, it was on to classical ballet. After that she let me know that no, she would not be a modeling instructor nor an assistant modeling instructor. Then it was time to stand up, and address the wall like it were a small boy. "You" she told the wall, "You are a boy. A child. You cannot have other boys as boyfriends. You can't like other boys. It will ruin your energies! You have energies! One day, we want to call you REVOLUTION!" She was pointing and yelling now. "One day, we want to call you REVEREND LEWIS." Then she looks at me, and waits for me to speak. I had to think of something benign again, something that would not cause her to lose it and lunge for the letter-opener that I have now hidden in my locking drawer. Something that she could relate to. I said what came first; "Yeah, well, it's all about respect."
GOLD.
"Thank you very much Miss Addison. Have a nice day." And out she goes, her immaculate-except-for-the-tin-can-glued-on-top rolling suitcase in tow.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
The Museum of Jurassic Technology
http://www.mjt.org/
I don't know why I am even bothering trying to write a post about this place. There are no words!
I don't know why I am even bothering trying to write a post about this place. There are no words!
Still Alive
Yesterday I had to do a mock interview with one of the crazies! This guy repeatedly goes to the IRS to get reports on every job he's ever had. He also likes to let us know which consulates are hiring, but then insult said consulate. Like "The Mexican consulate is hiring, but I don't want to work for those beaners." I also don't understand what he means when he says consulates "are hiring" because I'm pretty sure they don't run them like IHOPs or In-N-Out Burgers.
ANYWAY this guy is like 6'5" and he has crazy eyes. You never really know if he's looking at you, but you can be pretty sure he is because he is sitting with you in your cubicle and there's no one else to look at. The few times I've spoken to him in the computer lab I've been confused, because he could be talking to anyone. He wears Tevas and short pants and carries a backpack full of... stuff. More reports, probably.
In the mock interview he got really into politics. I said "what did you like the least about your last job" and he said "I hated that they made me register my firearm. I mean, all my weapons are legally obtained, but I'm a libertarian and it really made me angry. That stuff should be private." I should note that he is pretty much always yelling.
I asked him "the felonies question." We have a lot of people who have felonies and they need to learn how to answer a question about that, should it arise, so I just ask everyone. So I asked him if he had any felonies or misdemeanors and he leaned in really close to me, with his crazy eyes, and said in voice, a little quieter than his regular yell so I guess it was supposed to be a whisper, "well, you're still alive, aren't you?"
ANYWAY this guy is like 6'5" and he has crazy eyes. You never really know if he's looking at you, but you can be pretty sure he is because he is sitting with you in your cubicle and there's no one else to look at. The few times I've spoken to him in the computer lab I've been confused, because he could be talking to anyone. He wears Tevas and short pants and carries a backpack full of... stuff. More reports, probably.
In the mock interview he got really into politics. I said "what did you like the least about your last job" and he said "I hated that they made me register my firearm. I mean, all my weapons are legally obtained, but I'm a libertarian and it really made me angry. That stuff should be private." I should note that he is pretty much always yelling.
I asked him "the felonies question." We have a lot of people who have felonies and they need to learn how to answer a question about that, should it arise, so I just ask everyone. So I asked him if he had any felonies or misdemeanors and he leaned in really close to me, with his crazy eyes, and said in voice, a little quieter than his regular yell so I guess it was supposed to be a whisper, "well, you're still alive, aren't you?"
Friday, September 18, 2009
Hustlin'
I'd say a good 40% of my job is spotting hustlers and letting them know that their game isn't working. It's hard, because lots of homeless people are straight up manipulators (because they have to be). I am getting better at all this, as evidenced by the easy, natural way I use the words "hustlers," "game" and "straight up." We have services they want, there are certain rules to obtaining said services and they will do everything in their power to get around those rules and get what they want and keep living the way they're living.
I feel like a maniupulator a lot, too. We have to use "motivational interviewing" when talking to people, which is a fancy/stupid psychological term for "mind games." Basically you think of a result/resolution you want to come to by the end of the meeting. Then you ask vague/open-ended questions to try to get people to say something you want them to say (like that their drinking is hurting their chances of finding a job) then you repeat things back to them and try to inch them a little closer to the resolution you had in mind. It'll probably be a good skill to develop, but it really makes me feel like I'm just manipulating people, which feels bad even though it's for the best.
I feel like a maniupulator a lot, too. We have to use "motivational interviewing" when talking to people, which is a fancy/stupid psychological term for "mind games." Basically you think of a result/resolution you want to come to by the end of the meeting. Then you ask vague/open-ended questions to try to get people to say something you want them to say (like that their drinking is hurting their chances of finding a job) then you repeat things back to them and try to inch them a little closer to the resolution you had in mind. It'll probably be a good skill to develop, but it really makes me feel like I'm just manipulating people, which feels bad even though it's for the best.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Two Times!
Today TWO PEOPLE told me I was "good with people." One of them said "I like the way you deal with people, you know, your dealings and manners are good" and the other said I'd "make a good teacher because [I'm] good with all sorts of different folks." Honestly, these are some of the best compliments I've ever received. It kind of made my day!
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Chinese Nuclear Atomic
Another day, another crazy.
Today a woman came in dressed in about 7 layers. She had a radio embedded on her person somewhere, and she was constantly emanating angry talk radio. I couldn't quite hear what the radio host and guests were saying because of all the sweatshirts, vests and jackets she was wearing so she was just surrounded by a fuzzy aura of hate. She came in because she had found an ad for telemarketers that said you could make $6,500 a month, and that's what she wanted to do. Then she started going on about how she had come here today because her father had given her permission "to work, as a woman, in a man's world." She was 48. Then she went on about being a woman in a man's world for a while and eventually the "conversation" (I was just nodding; there was no opportunity to do otherwise) got back to her father. She told me he was a veteran of the War of 1812, The Civil War, The Korean Conflict, World Wars I & II, "The Chinese Nuclear Atomic" and World War III. She was serious. Then she looked at me and paused, expecting me to say something for the first since she'd sat down 10 minutes earlier, and all I could think of was; "So, you come from a military family?"
Clearly being a veteran of future wars isn't out of the question, which makes this whole "Chinese Nuclear Atomic" thing pretty terrifying.
I gave her a resume prep sheet to fill out. In the skills section she wrote "the BIBLE is the REASON" a lot and repeated the statement "on paper, I'm an educated A.A. Spanish in the universe" a few times in the "work history" section.
Today a woman came in dressed in about 7 layers. She had a radio embedded on her person somewhere, and she was constantly emanating angry talk radio. I couldn't quite hear what the radio host and guests were saying because of all the sweatshirts, vests and jackets she was wearing so she was just surrounded by a fuzzy aura of hate. She came in because she had found an ad for telemarketers that said you could make $6,500 a month, and that's what she wanted to do. Then she started going on about how she had come here today because her father had given her permission "to work, as a woman, in a man's world." She was 48. Then she went on about being a woman in a man's world for a while and eventually the "conversation" (I was just nodding; there was no opportunity to do otherwise) got back to her father. She told me he was a veteran of the War of 1812, The Civil War, The Korean Conflict, World Wars I & II, "The Chinese Nuclear Atomic" and World War III. She was serious. Then she looked at me and paused, expecting me to say something for the first since she'd sat down 10 minutes earlier, and all I could think of was; "So, you come from a military family?"
Clearly being a veteran of future wars isn't out of the question, which makes this whole "Chinese Nuclear Atomic" thing pretty terrifying.
I gave her a resume prep sheet to fill out. In the skills section she wrote "the BIBLE is the REASON" a lot and repeated the statement "on paper, I'm an educated A.A. Spanish in the universe" a few times in the "work history" section.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
East LA
I went to a party at my friend's house in East LA last night. It was fun. East LA is like a different city entirely. It's very residential, and there are tons of dogs everywhere. Also, on the short walk from where I parked to my friends house, there were a few mariachi bands playing in people's backyards. I liked it.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
7:19 Conductor
The metro conductor on the 7:19 train to Union Station from Hollywood and Vine makes my morning, every morning. His accent is like... film noir with a dash of Latin flair. Next time I speak to you, ask me to do an impression. His station announcements are the reason I am never late, because I took the 7:29 train once, and that lady sucked!
Electricity
I had a client at intake today (this is right after they go to orientation, so they are brand new) who asked whether or not he could run his business from our office. We get this question a lot. I told him that he couldn't but, after he finished his classes, he could use the phones and internet to make contacts or look for other work. He was disappointed. He was also not wearing shoes, and his shirt was completely unbuttoned. He said he was hoping to find someone to finance his business. I told him again that he was welcome to use the resources, but that we wouldn't hook him up directly with a financier. Then he said "Well, I have an idea, and I need funding. Well, what I need really is a facility to house my equipment. I have an idea about how to make electricity using rats."
...
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Monday, September 7, 2009
Blade Runner
The valley at night from Runyon Canon, plus BLADE RUNNER!
I just finished watching Blade Runner for the first time in HOLLYWOOD. My apartment is a really good place to watch this movie for a few reasons. I'll list them.
1) Blade Runner takes place in LA so... duh.
2) My apartment is near some animated neon signs. One of them is a bottle of vodka pouring into a glass, or something like that. We are in in a pretty touristy part of town, so there is no shortage of "old-fashioned" neon signs. The lights from some of them come in through the windows of the living room.
3) Also, about lighting, they are building a super plush luxury hotel down the block and apparently it warrants nightly searchlights.
4) Many police sirens.
5) With all the fires, the helicopters have been almost non-stop.
6) I've never seen a place with so much advertising.
!LA! Plus we are set back from the road a bit, and have a yard! But that's not like Blade Runner, so forget I said it.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Some Clients
1) Schizophrenic lady: She stares at me and smiles manically when I am talking. Sometimes. Other times she looks really down in the dumps. She also consistently offers two different responses to my questions. I asked her "So, did you work with Joycie [a previous Employment Specialst] before?" And she just smiled all crazy and shook her head. So I was like "Ok, so you didn't work with Joycie." No, she shook her head. "Ok, so who did you work with before me?" Then her look changed "Oh, I worked with Joycie before you."
2) There's my client who doesn't think I know how to fax anything, or use the computer at all, because I'm a lady.
3) There's another guy (not an active client) who has like 12 different resumes. He is also schizophrenic. His resumes detail the time he's spent in the FBI, CIA, KGB (as a double agent) and also on shows like "E.R." and "Dharma and Greg."
2) There's my client who doesn't think I know how to fax anything, or use the computer at all, because I'm a lady.
3) There's another guy (not an active client) who has like 12 different resumes. He is also schizophrenic. His resumes detail the time he's spent in the FBI, CIA, KGB (as a double agent) and also on shows like "E.R." and "Dharma and Greg."
Thursday, September 3, 2009
The only person I can trust in Skid Row
Today one of my clients came in, after beating up two police officers, and told me that I was "the only person he could trust in Skid Row." I just want to leave it at that.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
There was a fight in the office today! In the computer lab!
One guy's elbow kept touching another guy's arm while he was using the mouse. Guy being touched got angry and was all "Don't touch my skin, brother! Don't fuckin' touch my skin!" Then the guy using the mouse TOUCHED THE GUY'S SKIN and all hell broke loose!
We have an old lady who works at the front desk and greets clients. She is from the Phillipines and has a very cute accent. Also she's like, 4'11". Anyway, she got really upset and put her hands on her face a-la Mccaulay Culkin was like "Noo! Jamal!* Ricardo!* stop it! Ricardo, stop touching Jamal. Jamal leave him alone! OH NO!" Then she ran away. It was adorable and funny, but I didn't want to laugh because she was clearly upset. Also two huge homeless guys were fighting in the computer lab.
Anyway, it was fine. They agreed to "stay out of each other's spaces" and it calmed down pretty quickly.
One of my clients told me today that I looked like Leonardo DiCaprio's sister.
?
I like my office. I like my co-workers, and the vast majority of my clients so far have been very respectful and easy to work with. I've become particularly interested in helping the vets that we get in. We get a lot of homeless veterans and it just makes me so sad and disgusted so I do whatever I can to get them into Comprehensive Work Therapy, which is offered through the VA. It's basically getting paid 8 bucks an hour for 20 hours a week to be trained in a job. These guys probably deserve better, but I want to do what I can.
We have actors who come in to volunteer sometimes. This guy comes in every week. I just looked him up on IMDB for the first time and OMG HE WAS IN NATIONAL TREASURE BOOK OF SECRETS. Also he looks a lot like Brad Pitt, and his name is Brad.
Also, and I don't want to beat a dead horse here, but I have never, in my life, been complemented on the way I look like I have in LA. It is CRAZY. If you want a self-confidence boost, come to LA. It's a trip!
One guy's elbow kept touching another guy's arm while he was using the mouse. Guy being touched got angry and was all "Don't touch my skin, brother! Don't fuckin' touch my skin!" Then the guy using the mouse TOUCHED THE GUY'S SKIN and all hell broke loose!
We have an old lady who works at the front desk and greets clients. She is from the Phillipines and has a very cute accent. Also she's like, 4'11". Anyway, she got really upset and put her hands on her face a-la Mccaulay Culkin was like "Noo! Jamal!* Ricardo!* stop it! Ricardo, stop touching Jamal. Jamal leave him alone! OH NO!" Then she ran away. It was adorable and funny, but I didn't want to laugh because she was clearly upset. Also two huge homeless guys were fighting in the computer lab.
Anyway, it was fine. They agreed to "stay out of each other's spaces" and it calmed down pretty quickly.
One of my clients told me today that I looked like Leonardo DiCaprio's sister.
?
I like my office. I like my co-workers, and the vast majority of my clients so far have been very respectful and easy to work with. I've become particularly interested in helping the vets that we get in. We get a lot of homeless veterans and it just makes me so sad and disgusted so I do whatever I can to get them into Comprehensive Work Therapy, which is offered through the VA. It's basically getting paid 8 bucks an hour for 20 hours a week to be trained in a job. These guys probably deserve better, but I want to do what I can.
We have actors who come in to volunteer sometimes. This guy comes in every week. I just looked him up on IMDB for the first time and OMG HE WAS IN NATIONAL TREASURE BOOK OF SECRETS. Also he looks a lot like Brad Pitt, and his name is Brad.
Also, and I don't want to beat a dead horse here, but I have never, in my life, been complemented on the way I look like I have in LA. It is CRAZY. If you want a self-confidence boost, come to LA. It's a trip!
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Jazmin and I just went for a walk to the super touristy part of Hollywood, and it was considerably cleaner than when I went in 2000. My feet are the same size as Mel Gibson's! Also I saw the Kodak theater, where they do the Oscars, and it had a bunch of stores in it. Like, Louis Vuitton, Armani and such, but also the "Rocky Mountain Chocolate Shop" and like... a CVS or something. It was weird. Next time we go I'll bring my camera.
There are all these people down there dressed up like movie characters/stars. There were some Michael Jacksons, Marilyn Monroes, etc. and one of the Heath Ledger Jokers was getting his picture taken with a kid and he was begging the mom for a few dollars being like "you see, no one pays us to be down here!" and I wanted to be like "because it's not a job!" but I didn't say that.
It was fun! Jazmin is great. We get along very well. But all the roommates are lovely.
The guys in L.A. are way more aggressive about telling you how good they think you look, asking for your number, etc. They like honk the horn when driving, yell stuff out of cars/across the street, etc. When I'm walking to and from the Metro every day I get told that I am "beautiful" at least twice! A lot of guys like to tell you you're "beautiful" not hot or anything else but "beautiful." Also, when you are in stores, they just come up to you and say hello a lot. They don't do this stuff at home, it's kind of weird! Jazmin, who is from the area, went to U.C. Berkley and she says this stuff doesn't happen in NorCal, just SoCal. Weird, LA!
There are all these people down there dressed up like movie characters/stars. There were some Michael Jacksons, Marilyn Monroes, etc. and one of the Heath Ledger Jokers was getting his picture taken with a kid and he was begging the mom for a few dollars being like "you see, no one pays us to be down here!" and I wanted to be like "because it's not a job!" but I didn't say that.
It was fun! Jazmin is great. We get along very well. But all the roommates are lovely.
The guys in L.A. are way more aggressive about telling you how good they think you look, asking for your number, etc. They like honk the horn when driving, yell stuff out of cars/across the street, etc. When I'm walking to and from the Metro every day I get told that I am "beautiful" at least twice! A lot of guys like to tell you you're "beautiful" not hot or anything else but "beautiful." Also, when you are in stores, they just come up to you and say hello a lot. They don't do this stuff at home, it's kind of weird! Jazmin, who is from the area, went to U.C. Berkley and she says this stuff doesn't happen in NorCal, just SoCal. Weird, LA!
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Skid Row Tour II
I went on another Skid Row tour, this time with my fellow interns. It was a lot different. Apparently I'd been taken to the "nice part" of Skid Row the first time. It kind of made sense for Chrysalis to do that, because we'll be dealing with people from the "nice part" anyway. The people who come in to Chrysalis have to, at least, be a little work ready. The underbelly of Skid Row was a lot different. There were many mentally ill people on the streets and to be honest it was a little frightening and very jarring. It just blows my mind that there's a nice part and a bad part within Skid Row.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
First day at work!
Yesterday was my first real day at Chrysalis. It went well! We were really busy because all the offices were closed last week for training, so when I got to work at 8 a.m. there were already about 75 people waiting in the lobby. It's a smallish lobby, too!
From there I kind of had to jump right in because we were so busy. I did what's called client intake, which is basically just reading their application and asking them if they're homeless, felons or substance abusers. I was nervous at first because I've never asked anyone that before, let alone people I'd met approximately three seconds earlier. It was fine though. I'm assuming a lot of people in Skid Row are used to being asked these questions by other social service agencies, and a lot of them are probably then subjected to drug testing etc., which we don't do.
I got lost on my way to work because they were filming a movie downtown. Pffft, L.A.! They blocked off a bunch of streets and I couldn't ever turn left, which was all I needed to do to fix my problem. I learned they have an L.A.P.D. film unit. That must be a pretty sweet job. They all have motorcycles and all the fake movie cops were co-mingling with the L.A.P.D. film unit at the food tables. I was angry because I wanted to go left! I was proud of myself for getting back with no problem. I figured out that Figueroa meets E. Cesar Chavez Blvd, which turns into Sunset Blvd, which turns into Hollywood Blvd. Hooray!
I'm currently staying in Silver Lake, which is super nice. It's a hip part of town in the Hills. The houses are very cool (some designed by Frank Lloyd Wright) but they're right on top of one another so I don't think I could live there. The place I'll be living permanently is right downtown (in Hollywood) and you can see the Hollywood sign from my street, so that's cool! I also have to walk over Vincent Price's and Bettie Davis's star to get to the metro stop.
A quick word about public transportation!
The only places you can buy monthly metro passes are liquor stores and check cashing places, so that says something about they type of people they expect to use public transportation. This is part of the reason why Boston will always be a better city.
FIN
From there I kind of had to jump right in because we were so busy. I did what's called client intake, which is basically just reading their application and asking them if they're homeless, felons or substance abusers. I was nervous at first because I've never asked anyone that before, let alone people I'd met approximately three seconds earlier. It was fine though. I'm assuming a lot of people in Skid Row are used to being asked these questions by other social service agencies, and a lot of them are probably then subjected to drug testing etc., which we don't do.
I got lost on my way to work because they were filming a movie downtown. Pffft, L.A.! They blocked off a bunch of streets and I couldn't ever turn left, which was all I needed to do to fix my problem. I learned they have an L.A.P.D. film unit. That must be a pretty sweet job. They all have motorcycles and all the fake movie cops were co-mingling with the L.A.P.D. film unit at the food tables. I was angry because I wanted to go left! I was proud of myself for getting back with no problem. I figured out that Figueroa meets E. Cesar Chavez Blvd, which turns into Sunset Blvd, which turns into Hollywood Blvd. Hooray!
I'm currently staying in Silver Lake, which is super nice. It's a hip part of town in the Hills. The houses are very cool (some designed by Frank Lloyd Wright) but they're right on top of one another so I don't think I could live there. The place I'll be living permanently is right downtown (in Hollywood) and you can see the Hollywood sign from my street, so that's cool! I also have to walk over Vincent Price's and Bettie Davis's star to get to the metro stop.
A quick word about public transportation!
The only places you can buy monthly metro passes are liquor stores and check cashing places, so that says something about they type of people they expect to use public transportation. This is part of the reason why Boston will always be a better city.
FIN
Thursday, August 20, 2009
American Apparel
I learned something bad about American Apparel today, but it's not surprising.
The factory is about 7 blocks from our office. A lot of our clients get jobs working in the factory. They're excited, because AA does actually pay fairly well, but they are more excited about the benefits, which are rumored to be good. These benefits don't kick in for 90 days, however, and many (but not all) clients mysteriously lose their jobs on day, oh, let's say, I dunno.... 89. While I think it's good that there's a large, entry level employer right Downtown (this is rare) if this is true it sucks so bad! I never liked Dov Whateverhisdumbfaceis, and I pretty much only like their T-Shirts and Sweatshirts, but it makes me sad that they'd do this. I wanted to believe that they gave people in Downtown L.A. good jobs. I'll let you all know if I get to the bottom of this!
The factory is about 7 blocks from our office. A lot of our clients get jobs working in the factory. They're excited, because AA does actually pay fairly well, but they are more excited about the benefits, which are rumored to be good. These benefits don't kick in for 90 days, however, and many (but not all) clients mysteriously lose their jobs on day, oh, let's say, I dunno.... 89. While I think it's good that there's a large, entry level employer right Downtown (this is rare) if this is true it sucks so bad! I never liked Dov Whateverhisdumbfaceis, and I pretty much only like their T-Shirts and Sweatshirts, but it makes me sad that they'd do this. I wanted to believe that they gave people in Downtown L.A. good jobs. I'll let you all know if I get to the bottom of this!
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Skid Row
I do not have the energy to write everything I observed/learned about Skid Row today, so I am going to make a list of things I need to remember to write about tomorrow.
1) Toy District
2) The Soloist
3) SRO, LAMP, Union Rescue Mission
4) Community
5) Gentrification
Edit 8/20/2009
Ok! I'm ready now.
I work in Skid Row. That sounds totally badass/terrifying, but allow me to explain!
Skid Row is an officially recognized district in L.A. and if you looked at it on a map you'd see a very well defined section of town. However, the Skid Row culture is not so well or easily defined. I'm going to refer to the officially recognized boundaries of Skid Row as "Skid Row" and Skid Row culture, i.e. the rampant homelessness and drug use as Skid Row, sans quotes. To edit my earlier sentence, I work in "Skid Row."
As gentrification happens at a rapidly increasing pace downtown, the homeless population moves further east. Main street, where my office is, has historically been the western border of "Skid Row." Basically, in Los Angeles, the further west you go the nicer it gets (hence Dangerous Minds is set in East L.A. All of my judgements about this city are based on Dangerous Minds or L.A. Story). My office, however, is part of "Skid Row" in name only (though I'm still glad I get out of there before the sun sets). Right now I'm catching Skid Row at an odd transitional period. We went on a tour of Skid Row/"Skid Row" (which felt a little like going on a tour of like, the psych ward or a disaster area, but it was for a good cause (i.e. helping all us white kids understand a little better the level of poverty we'll be working with)) and it was pretty weird. I often saw a beat up old van with people living in it parked in between a new Audi and a new BMW. There are loft apartments that go for 4 or 5 thousand a month on the same block as Single Room Occupancy housing. SRO housing is emergency shelter housing. Only good for 30 days, it's where many chronically homeless people will crash on occasion, when they're not in the streets. When I saw these types of housing next to each other the difference between "Skid Row" and Skid Row really hit me.
Anyway, the area still sucks. I have never seen so many people just living in the streets. Cars don't seem to drive through it much, so everyone is just in the street. It's dirty, full of trash and it smells terrible but, as I was told by my co-worker who has been around forever (and, incidentally, loves Star Trek) it used to be a whole hell of a lot worse. We toured some SRO housing, a few transitional/substance abuse housing/counseling programs and a mission. The mission was huge and cavernous. All of these programs seem great and the people that work there are like, superheroes. I mean, these places really are in the heart of Skid Row, and they do serious stuff like needle exchanges and mental health counseling and free clinics and HIV/AIDS work. It makes my job seem like a piece of crumb cake! Skid Row needs a Harvey Dent more than a Batman, I decided. But it could probably use a Batman, too. The level of urban poverty I saw actually did remind me a little of a Gotham City Narrows type scenario (which shows how little experience I have in the less pleasant areas of American cities).
Another weird thing is that the "Skid Row" area is also called the Toy District, or at least the two districts overlap. There are all these banners on streetlights that say "Toy District" in cutesy font with like a teddy bear and blocks, but they're hanging above the most sorrowful scenes I've ever witnessed.
My first celebrity sighting was "The Soloist." There was that movie that came out about him, that I didn't see because I thought it looked preachy/dumb and I got the idea from the preview anyway. Jamie Fox plays this guy, The Soloist, who lives in Skid Row and he plays the violin and he is kickass at it. But he is also crazy! Robert Downey Jr. plays a reporter from the L.A. Times who becomes interested in this guy's story and it turns out he went to Julliard (my boss told me this stuff). Anyway, I saw him playing the cello a few blocks from work and his cello was wearing a bra that had a bunch of crazy stuff written on it!
1) Toy District
2) The Soloist
3) SRO, LAMP, Union Rescue Mission
4) Community
5) Gentrification
Edit 8/20/2009
Ok! I'm ready now.
I work in Skid Row. That sounds totally badass/terrifying, but allow me to explain!
Skid Row is an officially recognized district in L.A. and if you looked at it on a map you'd see a very well defined section of town. However, the Skid Row culture is not so well or easily defined. I'm going to refer to the officially recognized boundaries of Skid Row as "Skid Row" and Skid Row culture, i.e. the rampant homelessness and drug use as Skid Row, sans quotes. To edit my earlier sentence, I work in "Skid Row."
As gentrification happens at a rapidly increasing pace downtown, the homeless population moves further east. Main street, where my office is, has historically been the western border of "Skid Row." Basically, in Los Angeles, the further west you go the nicer it gets (hence Dangerous Minds is set in East L.A. All of my judgements about this city are based on Dangerous Minds or L.A. Story). My office, however, is part of "Skid Row" in name only (though I'm still glad I get out of there before the sun sets). Right now I'm catching Skid Row at an odd transitional period. We went on a tour of Skid Row/"Skid Row" (which felt a little like going on a tour of like, the psych ward or a disaster area, but it was for a good cause (i.e. helping all us white kids understand a little better the level of poverty we'll be working with)) and it was pretty weird. I often saw a beat up old van with people living in it parked in between a new Audi and a new BMW. There are loft apartments that go for 4 or 5 thousand a month on the same block as Single Room Occupancy housing. SRO housing is emergency shelter housing. Only good for 30 days, it's where many chronically homeless people will crash on occasion, when they're not in the streets. When I saw these types of housing next to each other the difference between "Skid Row" and Skid Row really hit me.
Anyway, the area still sucks. I have never seen so many people just living in the streets. Cars don't seem to drive through it much, so everyone is just in the street. It's dirty, full of trash and it smells terrible but, as I was told by my co-worker who has been around forever (and, incidentally, loves Star Trek) it used to be a whole hell of a lot worse. We toured some SRO housing, a few transitional/substance abuse housing/counseling programs and a mission. The mission was huge and cavernous. All of these programs seem great and the people that work there are like, superheroes. I mean, these places really are in the heart of Skid Row, and they do serious stuff like needle exchanges and mental health counseling and free clinics and HIV/AIDS work. It makes my job seem like a piece of crumb cake! Skid Row needs a Harvey Dent more than a Batman, I decided. But it could probably use a Batman, too. The level of urban poverty I saw actually did remind me a little of a Gotham City Narrows type scenario (which shows how little experience I have in the less pleasant areas of American cities).
Another weird thing is that the "Skid Row" area is also called the Toy District, or at least the two districts overlap. There are all these banners on streetlights that say "Toy District" in cutesy font with like a teddy bear and blocks, but they're hanging above the most sorrowful scenes I've ever witnessed.
My first celebrity sighting was "The Soloist." There was that movie that came out about him, that I didn't see because I thought it looked preachy/dumb and I got the idea from the preview anyway. Jamie Fox plays this guy, The Soloist, who lives in Skid Row and he plays the violin and he is kickass at it. But he is also crazy! Robert Downey Jr. plays a reporter from the L.A. Times who becomes interested in this guy's story and it turns out he went to Julliard (my boss told me this stuff). Anyway, I saw him playing the cello a few blocks from work and his cello was wearing a bra that had a bunch of crazy stuff written on it!
Monday, August 17, 2009
L.A.-brary
I work somewhat near the downtown public library branch and I thought you might like to see it because it's big, weird and looks like it belongs in Mesopotamia.*
*Thanks, Tim Barwise!
I had my first day of training today. It went swimmingly. Everyone seems really dedicated, and the Chrysalis training is basically what res life wishes it could be. It's all very orgranized, which is great. A lot of community service/non-profits I've worked with in the past have been all over the place, and it has really had a negative impact on their effectiveness. Everyone is really honest (which is something res life never was) about the problems we will face. For instance, they will talk about how often they feel like they are common sense counselors, because a lot of the clients just don't have any common sense. (Res life doesn't have any common sense, either.) I got to know the other interns (from Americorps, not my specific program) as well as the client host. His job is to maintain order at the downtown office, because we have about 220 people walk through the door every day. It turns out he loves sewing and can make pants, from scratch, in like an hour. Pants are really hard. I tried to make pajama pants once and the crotch, just the crotch, came out 3 sizes too big. He told me he was a licensed machine operator so I asked him how he got his license and he said he learned in prison. Turns out he was a client before he got his job as a host. I think it's awesome that Chrysalis hires their own clients to work at their own company. It illustrates how much they believe in what they do. I had a bit of naive moment when I was all "I'm talking about pattern making with a former inmate. This is kinda crazy!" but within 30 seconds I forgot about it. I don't know, I always thought that would be something you always had in the back of your mind when speaking to someone who'd been incarcerated, but it's not. It probably also helps that he's very soft spoken and sweet. I've heard that the California prison system is insane, and you can be incarcerated super easy here, but I don't know the specifics. I do know that 70% of our clients have a felony on their record, but I'm not sure how many have spent time in prison. It seems like a lot have.
I had a very good day. The Chrysalis office is on one of the borders of Skid Row. The borders are actually well defined, even though it seems like it would be more of a nebulous sort of thing. "Skid Row" is official and used by the city (it's on fire trucks and stuff). Downtown L.A., at least the part I saw, was nothing like it's made out to be. There are lots of people walking around, fancy hotels, a dog groomer, etc. We will, however, go on a tour of skid row tomorrow so I will let all of you know how that goes!
BONUS: I drove on the 405 yesterday. And I didn't die! And I might drive to Inglewood today! WOW!
Sunday, August 16, 2009
FIRST POST
I am in Santa Monica, where I'll be for a while before the rest of the interns get here. I'm about to go for a walk. Then I'll have dinner with two really nice, cool priests (Episcopal). I am very EXCITED.
Edit: Walk completed. I went for a walk down to the water. I included a jaunt along muscle beach, just for kicks. NOTHING TO WRITE HOME ABOUT. (I thought it would be funnier.) The houses in Santa Monica are great. I'm not talking about the big ones right on the water, but the little ones with neat front yard gardens. They're painted in pretty colors and have neat style. I could live here (but I couldn't afford it and my mom would kill me). The weather is, of course, fantastic. The ocean breeze here friendlier(?) than it is at home. It's more refreshing, I guess.
I went into the American Apparel because I realized I didn't bring a sweatshirt (but I won't pay 42 dollars for one so I have no idea why I went into the American Apparel) and I found the sales people to be less snooty than they are in Boston, but the store itself was just as annoying.
I have always thought of L.A. as being somehow stuck in the late 1980's/early 1990's. I don't know why; I think there may have been a lot of movies made about the area during that time period. I also know that I'm not the only one who thinks like this (Parker, among others, has agreed with me). I am sad to report that, despite an abundance of rollerbladers, this is not true.
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