I'm typing this entry from a dorm room at Cal State University, Monterey Bay, where I'm attending a summer institute for AP Euoprean History.  We start classes tomorrow after a general introductory meet-and-greet BBQ this evening.  High marks for the Jamaican-spiced chicken and our instructor's relaxed yet professional demeanor.  Solid marks for ( Read more... )

You may recall, dear reader, that I skipped a week in my 'read a book a week' resolution a couple weeks back when professional obligations and social commitments left me with four busy evenings in a row. I wrapped up the book last week and I've taken advantage of the holiday break to get myself back on track by polishing off two books! I'd ( Read more... )

I wish I had a camera handy this morning. Seen as I headed for my car: an LAPD black-and-white driving down my street. As it passed, I saw in the rear passenger side window a "Not In Service" placard. Now rationally I know it was probably being driven between the station on La Brea and a central service garage by a mechanic, but still... with the ( Read more... )

So, we just rode out a bit of an earthquake - 5.0 just to the south of us, according to initial reports.  It went on for a bit longer than most, long enough for bewcastle  and I to take shelter in a doorway.  But nothing fell, and, apparently, nothing damaged.  Whew!

It seems like it's been ages since I last did a LiveJournal update - Facebook quizzes seem to be eating all my social networking time!  The contrasts between Facebook and LiveJournal, and the utility of each venue for particular aspects of social networking, are fascinating to contemplate.  Facebook is better suited to the short personal update, ( Read more... )

So, in the latest crime scores...

doctorray  and bewcastle  - 3
Petty criminals of Los Angeles - nil

What, you want more details?  Okay...

As many of you know, we experienced an attempted break-in a couple weeks ago.  Nobody was hurt, nothing was taken, only our bedroom window was damaged.  It's now boarded up and awaiting the installation of burglar bars.  Today I got ( Read more... )

So, as I waited in line at my local polling place yesterday morning, along with a representative cross-section of my very diverse neighborhood, I started composing in my head a paean to my neighborhood's diversity, which I planned on posting under the subject "in Which I Vote in Real America".  My plan was to talk about all the people standing in ( Read more... )

Certainly not due to the weather, dear reader.  But rather, thanks to the help of my decidedly cool friends.

I'm a bit of a square.  Really.  I'm a bit staid.  I don't go out to nightclubs on weeknights (and rarely on weekends), I have only the barest passing familiarity with the most well-regarded indie bands.  Aside from a strange affection for ( Read more... )

I had a very Los Angelenian day today:

Got up early to hike Runyon Canyon (the dog trail of the stars) with school friends JM and
( Read more... )

After bidding our German guests J and M a fond farewell, TLC and i got to talking about some of the rather touristy way we spent our weekend.  We were both a bit taken aback to realize just how few of LA's signature sites and experiences we'd seen for ourselves, and we resolved that we should try to become more culturally informed about what Los ( Read more... )