Good Food In Ugly Places

Got up at 4 a.m. at my Dad's apartment and headed back over to mine to shower, chug some coffee, and wait for the car. It was still cold and rainy when I left, just like it was last night. Kind of made it hard to miss the city. Got to the airport with plenty of time to spare and at 6:40 a.m. was in the air.

Arrived and got my bags no problem except for the $140 it cost me to check all the bags I was bringing. Hopefully this is a one-time expense. It was beautiful here today in the morning, cloudy at midday and beautiful again right now. Cabbed it to my temporary lodging and then went to The Grove, the (not so new but new to me) outdoor mall off of Third near Farmer's market. We valet parked the car. How LA of us. Nice mall with great views.

Ate at a decent burger place on La Brea in an ugly parking lot. That's LA right there, good food in ugly places.

After that, we headed to Van Nuys to get my car. I then drove it back down to my temporary housing. I really love driving down Laurel Canyon and the stick isn't that big a deal. It keeps me from looking at the phone and distracting myself.

I know this is hardly the most exciting post in the world, but I'm just trying to stay in the practice of writing. I really think there is going to be a lot of pressure on me to break news at my new job. I used to be good at it, but it's been a few years. The bar is low but they are expecting a lot. I hope I can deliver. I really want to and not just because I want to make a big splash and all that crap. I want to because they believe in me and are taking a chance on me.

Everyone knows I'm back in town and most are supportive although a few think I'm crazy and a very few think...oh hell, lets not even go there for once. One person said doesn't he know that he'll be 'treated like a pariah there?' Can't worry about that.

Going to do a little work on the other project for awhile before I hit a meeting. Supposed to go to a Dodgers game tomorrow. I think I will mellow a little here. I won't ripen and rot, but maybe I'll slow down just a little bit and that wouldn't be a bad thing.

Only worry is smoking. The smokes are cheap here (compared to New York) and a Marlboro would taste good right now. I'll play it through though. Can't chuck over two years out the window just for the thrill of driving a clutch, chain smoking, talking on the phone and eying girls all at the same time.