A new fountain at the train station

What's funnier than watching people try to run through a busted sprinkler at the end of a long day at work? I can't think of anything either. It was just one of those "You've got to be kidding me" moments.

Detached Rose

Detached c.2010

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Ever see something on the street and wonder how it got there? Well, recently on a bus ride I saw a gorgeous rose behind a seat. I wondered who it belonged to. Was it one of many? Was it a street vendor's? Was is a gift? A rose from an unwanted someone ? Was it on a man's suit? A girl's locker?...Whatever the story maybe, I left it there. Maybe it'll be of good use to someone else.

Out of service

c.2010

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Ever had one of those "You've got to be kidding me" moments? Like on a train ride home at the end of a long day you learn there was an electrical problem that shut down a northbound train and it immediately disrupted the schedule because all trains must now share a single track and after waiting for an extended period of time you discover the malfunctioned train was stranded on your stop? Yeah, I've heard those moments are pretty funny in retrospect.

Passenger in the dark

Passenger in the dark c.2010

On my daily commute, the longest bus ride (distance wise) happens to be the quickest ride since the route goes through the carpool lane of the 10 Freeway. I’m always thankful that I’m not stuck in traffic during that time.

Daylight savings in the fall means the sun seems to set around…3. By the time I get out, it feels as if its 10pm, especially if the weather is cold.

The ride home on the freeway is very exposing. It's dark outside and the lights inside the bus are a spotlight on the passengers throughout the ride. You also can’t look at anything outside of the window other than your own reflection.

Today was different. It was nice. The bus driver turned off the interior lights on the freeway. Passengers were given anonymity and were only lit by the oncoming traffic and the red scrolling marquee inside.

I attempted to take a picture of this, but being in a dark and vibrating environment, it's not surprising I failed to capture a steady image. At least I did manage to capture the movement of being on the carpool lane.

“Road trippin” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers began to play on my ipod, and it seemed appropriate. I have no idea when I’ll take off on a trip again. But for now, this was nice.

Walking through the rain

Aids walk L.A. c.2010

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The Aids Walk is something that has been on my long "I've always wanted to" list. This year, the time and the opportunity finally coincided.

It was a rainy day but that didn't stop me or the friend who told me about the event. There were all sorts of participants and no one was bothered by the nonstop drizzle. In fact, it was welcomed. There was one exceptionally hilarious sight during the entire route. A woman participated in her high heels. Now that is dedication. I'm not sure if she just stayed up from the night before, or if she woke up and put on her walking shoes but either way, I was impressed. I'm not a huge user of high heels, but I can walk in them with confidence...for a limited amount of time. I can't dance in them all night and I most certainly cannot walk a 10K in them. Only in L.A. I suppose...

Walking in the heat

I never fail to be amazed at the silly things customers do to save a little money. Growing up with a painfully frugal mother, it wasn't unheard of to take multiple buses to get to Ralphs supermarket across the city in order to use double coupons on cereal.

Occasionally, I do participate in some sale events and I feel it always prove I am in fact my mother's daughter. The most recent newsworthy mob I was a part of was at the Forever 21 warehouse sale in the industrial district of Downtown L.A. Why newsworthy? Not because the prices were so low (they actually really were), but rather because it was one of the hottest days of the year and nobody passed out.

The event planners did not anticipate such a large turnout, which resulted in 6 registers and hundreds of unorganized customers just sorching in the brutal heat. Two of my friends had to leave, but my mother and I stubbornly waited it out. It wasn't so much that we HAD to have the items, but at that point, it would've been worse to walk out dehydrated and empty handed.

After leaving with our purchases, I made a decision. Not only will I never be one of those ravenous women at the $99 bridal gown sales, but I will never do anything like this for "normal people clothes" again...at least not in extreme temperatures.

A very quiet walk in Hollywood

It's always nice to "discover" a new pocket of solitude in the city. I'm not too familiar with the ins and outs of Hollywood but this was a pleasant surprise. I came across this small park on my way to the Hollywood Bowl box office to try and buy some tickets for an event. The walk up Highland was very hot, and I simply needed a place to recharge my batteries. A bus stop bench would've done the trick, but this was much better. I even caught up on a little writing.