LA Story

A quick update on my three days out here. First it took forever to get out here Monday night. Was supposed to arrive at 7:20 and ended up here after midnight. Spent five hours in St. Louis airport!

Tuesday apartment hunting was incredibly depressing at first. I saw some real shitholes going for $1,400-$1,500 per-month. Travis Bickle would've said no to these places! Some of the others weren't as bad, but they also just didn't seem like they were worth the move across the country.

I saw a few of the typical motel apartment buildings with the pool in the courtyard. I lived in two of those when I first moved out here and spent all of maybe two hours at the pool. I even checked out a one bedroom in the building I lived in 15 years ago. The rent for it was double and frankly it'd be too weird to live there.

I steered clear of a lot of West Hollywood just because that is where the heartbreak lives and while LA is not like New York in terms of bumping into people, it just would not be good for me psychologically to be that close to where she lives. BTW, update on her that I did not need but she has a new boyfriend (big shock) and is taking him to meet her parents (less than three months after doing same with me...those poor parents). I was not looking for this information. A friend told me unsolicited as a way to discourage any thoughts I might have harbored. I harbor many thoughts, but contacting her is not one of them. She is aware I'm out here or so I've been told. I'll deal with that one when/if I bump into her at a work related event.

Why am I here? Considering how bad the traffic and parking has gotten in the ten years since I left I'm beginning to wonder that myself.

Anyway, back to the apartments. After seeing dumps and just depressing plain places I finally hit gold in the Miracle Mile area. Saw a bunch of old style apartments/town houses with hardwood floors, beautiful fixtures, etc. The keys out here are parking and laundry and I did find a place with both. Rent is reasonable as far as I can tell. My problem is my range falls in the middle range where you can spend a little less and a piece of crap or spend a few hundred more and get a nice place. But this one area has reasonable rents and is in a central location. It's not some hip and happening spot by any means, but it is right near the Grove and Farmer's Market and not far from where my gym is in West Hollywood and the drive downtown will be somewhat tolerable.

Speaking of driving, now the car chase starts. Went to a dealer today and looked at a used Honda Accord listed at $16,000 that could come down to a little under $14,000, which meant around $15,000 or so when the taxes are done. Big hurdle for me having a car payment and shelling out that much cash. i could always plunk down $5000 on a car that will function fine for a few years but truthfully I want a nice car. It doesn't have to be super sporty but I don't want to be embarrassed leaving it with a valet. I know, how vain of Rambler, but fuck man, it is L.A.

I'm slowly getting around the mental block of making payments and shelling out ten grand on a down payment. I also may check out an Audi A4 which I saw listed for $15,000 with under 50,000 miles and in good shape. That would be so unlike me to have a super nice car. I don't know if I could handle it. I don't want to lease and while I could easily get a good deal on a new car, I'm really not ready for that hurdle. A car is like a relationship and I can't decide whether I want one for two years or ten years. My instinct is always two years, but that is shallow LA thinking.

I've already been hitting meetings out here and shared at all three I've been to, which is important. Tonight I met a transplanted New Yorker who knew some of my peeps. Very cool.

Back Saturday, then movers come next week then I'm following after. Skinny and Fluff will be out here in May when my place is ready. Yes, the cats are coming. I couldn't really not bring them.

BTW, they go to bed very early out here. I forgot that.