Commuter Confessions

Memorable face

2009-08-10T09:36:00.000-07:00

This summer I visited a few countries, one of which was Pakistan - where my mom's family is from. It was the standard trip.

Hung out with family. Did a little bit of shopping. Relaxed and ate plentifully. But one shopping experience turned out to be a little out of the ordinary.

In Pakistan, I have seen plenty of hijras when we go out to popular shopping districts. Don't know what a hijra is? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hijra_(South_Asia)

So we're around Tariq Road and a hijra approaches me asking me for money. It's hard for me to ignore people, to say no, etc...but that's exactly what I'm supposed to do with them.

The following conversation was in Urdu, but for readability purposes, I'll write it in English.

"Money? Give me some money, sister, please."
"Umm, I'm sorry I don't have anything."
"Ask your mother."
"Uhh..."
Enter my mom
"KIRAN! Come back here, what are you doing having a conversation with him??"
"I...uhh..."
"Sister, some money...."

We walk away.
You probably had to have been there, but it was awkward, scary, and uhh awkward. For me, at least.

The next day we were shopping in Zum Zumma and then BAM! Some other hijras walk by. I was prepared this time! I thought...

And then from behind these hanging fabrics outside the store I was standing outside of, one hijra comes into eyesight, looks at me HOLY MOTHER it's the same one. Remain calm, re-main calm.

"Oh sister, can I have a little bit of money?"
"Umm, sorry, I don't have anything."
This time I was going to walk away and end the "conversation" but before I could -
"Oh I saw you yesterday at Tariq Road as well and you still didn't give me anything then."
WHAT THE HAY!??! He/she remembers me!!

I start to walk away and -
"Ask your mother."

I'm gone by this time. Totally freaked out. In a country with roughly 172,800,048 people, for me to see the same hijra in two very different places and for him/her to recognize me, despite me wearing totally different clothes (American and Pakistani) and two different hair styles (up and down), is very weird. Very, very weird.

Oh Pakistan.

The hitchhiker at Aljibani

2009-06-26T13:30:00.000-07:00

The other day, Beena and I went to the Aljabaani halal meat store in Diamond Bar. Standard procedure, you know? Pick up the stuff, take it home.
We picked up the stuff, but taking it home required a detour.

So we go to our car and old woman with a roller backpack and gypsy-esque clothing is standing outside. Beena and I kindly smile, nod, and cautiously proceed to Maximus almost right in front of her.

She catches Beena's glance.

Beena looks at her too.

I'm weirded out, I just open my door and right as I'm about to get it, I hear her saying something to Beena. Beena, looking totally perplexed looks over at me and asks, "What do I do? She's asking where we're going."

This is where it gets interesting.

Woman: (with a pretty strong Arab accent) Where are you going?
Me: Just home.
Woman: Temple, you go to Temple?
Me: Temple the street, we pass by it. I'm going home though.
Woman: But if you go to Temple, you can take me? Just there. It's very hot.

If you know me well enough, you know what I said.
"Ok."

So she gets in the car, front seat. Beena and I are SUPER creeped out. I've never done this before. Never. And yes, it might be a good deed, I mean the poor woman needed a ride, but what would I do if something went astray??

We're in the car -
Me: Ok, so you want me to drop you off on Temple? The street?
Woman: Um, where is your home? Where are you going?
Me: (oh mother) Umm.. Chino Hills.
Woman: Oh, by the shops. The shops.
Me: Yes, around there.
Woman: You can take me there then.
Me: (what the hay?) I'm sorry, where?
Woman: Chino Hills, yes.

Now keep in mind the ride from the store to Temple is probably 2 minutes - it's just down the street, literally. The ride to Chino Hills is like 10-15 minutes. That's 8-13 more minutes with her. What's going on????

Woman: They have the Sam's Club?
Me: Yes.
Woman: Is that where you are going?
Me: Yes, we need to go to the store (because I was not about to take her home)
Woman: Ok, I go there.
Me: Ok

Silence...

Now I don't remember all the dialogue on the way there, but I remember her asking SPECIFICALLY where we lived. And then Beena asked her where she lives and she hardly responded.

We exit.

We arrive at Sam's Club.

Woman: Do you have any money? I don't have very much. Any change or anything?
Me: I'm sorry, I don't have any change.

Beena had some quarters so she gave the woman 3 dollars, I think it was, in change.

She left the car, said thank you (thank God) and we didn't see her again.

Wow.

Anyone living in Tuscany must be a celebrity

2009-06-18T22:52:00.000-07:00

The Laker victory parade kind of ruined my life ... or Wednesday.
Streets were blocked. People were everywhere. And I swear, it was like the streets of LA threw up purple and gold.

Anyway, my priorities were clear - get to my apartment, show some potential roommates around, drop off my cousins, bam! Only it took me approximately 45 minutes to get from the San Pedro exit to my apartment.

X <-- that's San Pedro

T <-- that's my apartment

OK, they're not that far.

After making a giant circle around Jefferson through Main then back on Broadway, I - THANK GOD - made it to Flower.
But there they were... the orange cones.
They had been blocking my every move for the last half hour and gosh darn it I needed them to move (move) get out the way. So instead of turning left onto Exposition like everyone else who was following the cones and the police men's hands, I kind of went forward. Relax, I didn't hit anyone.

I pulled up the cops were directly me to the left but Maximus and I just waited there until I got some attention. The cop came up to my window and I said while pointing straight to my destination, "Excuse me, I live over there."
"You live in Tuscany?"
"Yes."
"Ok, go forward. Let her through!"

Ye-ah! Jai ho! Bam!

I go THROUGH those darn cones, through the police men and then again cops at the corner of 37th and Flower.

"I live there."
"Oh ok, go ahead."

Ye-ah! Jai ho! Bam! That's right, you betta make way!

I knew Tuscany was worth something...

I fobed my little way into the parking lot and after 45 minutes of driving around what was probably 2 miles, I made it. 229 still smells the same.

Aesthetics over practicality = lame: Compton - part I

2009-02-21T14:37:00.000-08:00

This past week I went to Compton twice. I know, I'm hooked. Whether it's voluntary or not, who's to say?

Ok, fine. It's totally not voluntary. However, I'm getting so well acquainted with freeway and streets there, I feel like a local. A regular. Like it's almost, almost almost but not quite, voluntary.

Tuesday pre-meeting -

I had to go to the city council meeting. At night. First time. My mom suggested my father come down to LA to take me to an hour-long meeting in Compton. Ummm..yeah.

I, on the other hand, sent a mass text to my "local male friends" asking for volunteers to come with me. Whether my "local male friends" were scared pitless or they were just busy, who knows. I was prepared to venture off alone. I filled my tank, didn't wear "colors," got mapquested directions, I was set.

Then the Persian randomly texted me a couple hours before I was going to leave asking if I found someone to come. I said no, but that I'd be ok. And then he says something about a guilty conscience if I die. Thanks, really.

He brought his friend's dagger. No joke. Case and all. It had a jungle/animal embossed print on it or something. Serious business.

We arrive and the city hall doors are locked. We had to find the "Council Chambers." We go to the back and, I don't know how to describe this properly, but there was a giant shallow pool thing in the back of the building that, well, I failed to see pre-walk-in. You can't blame me, the water was so still, it looked like the floor. AND ladies and gentlemen, it was super shallow so it also...looked...like the floor.
You had to have been there!

I was looking into this window and then, to get closer, closer, closer "I put one foot in front of the o-ther...." and soon I'll be walking into wa-aa-ter. I missed the pool. Just didn't see it.
I didn't know it existed. The next thing you know, BAM, both my feet are in this pool, the homeless man in the distance is like "Uh-oh," and Omid's eyes widen as he looks almost as perplexed as I do.

"You know, I was just gonna say this pool looks kind of nice."

He couldn't have said it, like, two seconds earlier?

Who puts a pool there!? Against a government building? Really, now. Really? I mean, I.... wouldn't.

I walked into the meeting with soaking feet, jeans that were wet a little less than mid-calf height. It was so cold. So very cold.

Maximus and U-ee

2009-01-28T21:48:00.001-08:00

We went to the ghetto Ralph's tonight. I just needed a few things, you know? Thought I'd make it quick.

I'm driving out of the parking lot and get to the intersection to make a U-turn back onto Vermont going South.

It's a skinny street. Not a lot of room. A lot of "shady-looking" pedestrians on the corner that Safia pointed out.

It's green. I go. I turn the wheel. TURN TURN TURN. I'm slowing. It's too close. I'm too close. Are there cars coming the other way? The pedestrians are staring too. The look in their eyes. "Is she gonna make it? IS SHE GONNA MAKE IT??"
TURN TURN TURN.... TU-ERN

BAM! I make it and vroooooom away.

Great vehicles come in small packages that make rough U-ees.

Tramma Lamma Tram Tram

2009-01-28T21:18:00.000-08:00

So.

For my most recent broadcast class, I had to a video story (VSV) on the USC Tram Service. Sounds simple, no? But try having to MAKE time in your schedule to take a tram you don't need, to film a tram you don't usually pay attention to, to interview people that, well, would prefer to get on stop A and get off stop B and not be pestered by my tramming homework. But it was my first assignment, and boy oh boy, I'm not gonna lie, I was pretty excited.

Until the commuting happened.

My earliest Monday class is at 1. I know, I know...old story. So I figured in the morning I'd get all my filming done.

I wait at the second stop on Route A's uh, route. I hop on the third tram after filming a bunch of b-roll. Bumpy ride but pleasant. Umm... the people look a little tired. Not as enthusiastic as I was. I did get some funky stares for filming inside a very bumpy tram ride. I go through the whole route and stay on for the second.

Here was the sketchy business...

I wanted to interview this guy who we'll call Tim. He and I both concurred on the moving tram that I'd interview him at his stop because it would be best place. He said it was the third stop. WELL..... Maybe I should have checked the stops online. Or at least known where the "USC Research Annex" was.

We get off 3 blocks east of campus on Exposition. I passed it along the way the first time, but we hadn't stopped there so I was a little confused. A little shady-looking, but oh well.

The tram jets off like nobody's business. I do the interview. He leaves. I pack up my rather expensive equipment and look all professional with this accomplished look on my face and BAM! Where's the tram??

Oh that's right! It left.

TIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!! I call.

"Where's the tram going to come? Is this a pickup stop?"

"Well, the next stop is down the street at the school. And the stop after that is at the [very dingy looking] parking structure building down on Jefferson. You can make it to the last stop if you maybe run there or something"

"Ok, thanks!"

Yeah...right. I'm not running with rather expensive equipment and pointy flats in a location where there are, seriously speaking, hobos at every turn.

Oh brother... I guess I'm going to walk.

I live about 2 blocks west and then 1 block south of where we were. Not bad. It's morning and it's breezy and personally I like walking under freeway bridges with sleeping homeless men and their shopping carts.

I make it back, obviously; just via the scenic route. Tram A - DONE.

TRAM B

Tuesday night I decide to shoot some more b-roll so I go over around 4:30ish to take Tram B and do the same thing.

I'm standing kind of outside the USC Valet courtyard entrance fountain corner School of Law-ish area. I ask the guy next to me, "Excuse me. Is this the tram stop?"

"For the Parking Center Tram? Yeah, it is."

"Thanks!"

BAM! Safia walks by laughing at me and my poor little tripod and video baggage. She's the first non-stranger to see me in action. IN ACTION! She laughed. There goes my credibility. Haha. Ahh..roommates.

So she leaves and I wait next to the guy. This tram/bus comes and as I'm about to get in, the guy says,

"Oh. This one is the Long Beach tram."

!!?!??!?!??!

Holy mother! "Oh gosh, thank you!"

If he hadn't told me, I'd have been in Long Beach Tuesday night. Stranded. Waiting for a ride. My naiveté would have gotten the best of me...again. But once again, I made it home, obviously - and without having gone to Long Beach.

Is Sinatra worth "East EL-EH" at night?

2008-12-21T16:05:00.000-08:00

...depends on the song.

J.Soo had her 21st birthday at the London West Hollywood off of San Vicente and Sunset Blvd. A Gordon Ramsey "fine" dining experience was first, and then, the after party. I carpooled in a designer dress, got driven in a jag by a Persian in a skinny tie and a burgandy, or in some lighting arrangements purple, cardigan. A ritzy night it was to be.

I guess I didn't know the definition of ritzy entirely...or ravioli, for that matter.
Omid and I order the rather appetizing-sounding dish - Tiger Prawn Ravioli. At this point, all of us at the table are quite famished and are slightly gorging down the several servings of bread brought to us. Seaweed butter, anyone?

Our dinner arrives and our eyes widen.

Four dishes for the four of us, large white pristine plates, and a whole raviol-I in the middle. One whole ravioli...each. Josh and Albert's dishes were also incredibly weak-looking but I couldn't get over the one, just one, only one, ravioli.

"Is ravioli singular or plural?" Albert asked.

I don't think any of us knew.

It was a good raviol-i. Albert, according to Omid, ate his eel very slowly hoping it wouldn't finish. Denial, maybe? Josh was fine. Fine, fine, fine. He had a pretty filling creamy mushroom soup that all of us overlooked as we read the heavy dinner menu. Omid paced himself. Switched between eating a lot of bread and a tiny morsel of the raviol-i, you know, to make it last longer.

I ate the ravioli.

The Ramsey guy wasn't even there.

Dinner was done, still hungry but my, what an experience.

Josh, Omid, Albert, and I played monopoly. Contrary to money, property, and everything else that counts in monopoly , I thought I won - at heart.

...but the commute was the cherry on top.

We left 11:50ish.

Omid and I would have been fine on our way home. But you know, seeing the downtown lights, the 110 going through it, it's just all so tempting to drive through. And why not? The 60 hits the 110...somewhere. So we take the detour home.

And, of course, we play Sinatra's "That's Life" as we go through random traffic on the 110 seeing the lights and belting out the classic song. Sinatra songs at night get me a little too excited.

...We missed the 60 or the 10 or whatever it was we were supposed to take. Ugh! We exit.

Umm... where are we? past midnight? East LA???

Thankfully the CD with "Still Dre" was missing. I couldn't take any more ghetto traits at the moment, let alone a detour JUST for a song.

A decision was made to take the 5 N and then get on the 10E.
We soon find out .. there's only an interchange to the 10W. Fine, take that, exit, get on the 10E and BAM! It's a plan!

We get off the 10W... where's the 10E entrance?

Why are we surrounded by factory-looking buildings? No one's here. It's so quiet. So.... very, very quiet. There's only one other car on the road. What street are we on in East LA at night?

....

........

After turning and seeing this bridge I've never seen before and the area where some scene from Terminator was filmed, OLYMPIC! That's familiar!

Soto Street!!

"That hits the 10, right?"
"Yeah, yeah! We're parallel to the freeway."

Ah...finally.

Approx. 1:02 a.m. AND ring ring ring:
"Kinna, where are you???"
"I'm coming daddy, I'm on Chino Hills Parkway. We...got a little lost."
"We??"
"Yeah, I carpooled."
"Ok, just come home. We'll talk when you get here."

It's the perfect song for moments like these. Although....usually it's listened to either during or after the so-called "c'est la vie" moment, not before. Ah well, that's life.

Never trust a cheap burrito

2008-12-14T22:47:00.000-08:00

Safia and I were hungry tonight, as usual, and didn't have many food options, as usual. We tried dormroomdeliveries.com but it was closed on Sunday. I know, I don't know of many online services that are closed - ever - but this one was.

ADVENTURE!

I hop in my car and we drive down Fig looking for, literally, any random place to grab something to eat. Keep in mind that it is the night before a crazy finals day and both Safia and I have procrastinated too much for our own good. So we're chop chopping this.

We find (after U-turning because we failed to find anything the first time) La Taquiza in itty bitty wee corner in the Pasta Roma shopping area next to the glamorous nail salon known as Glamorous Nail Salon where I occasionally get my nails glamoured, if you will.

Super sketchy. But hey, it's South Central, what do you expect?

We order, get our food, go back. Approx. <15

I cut open my vegetarian burrito and BAM

BEEF galore.

WITW?!? I'm starving. I eat some of Safia's food and hop back into my trusted vehicle for some customer satisfaction.

I call La Taquiza aka La Stupida Ruina Ma Dinera to find out when they close. The woman hung up on me the first time I called. Bad connection, I guess. Bad impression, I know.

I arrive and tell the lady I got a meat-infused burrito when I requested a vegetarian one and rather than taking the food (uneaten) and the receipt (in tact), she questions my honesty.

"What?"

"I ordered a vegetarian and this one has beef in it."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes..."

(I was actually just guessing. You know, my burrito just looked kind of "beefy")

"I just cut it open and there's beef inside."

She opens the box, sees the very evident beef and without a word disposes of it and tells the guy what I assume to be a request to make a vegetarian burrito

Meanwhile, a girl I tutor at VPP, Toni, walks in with her mom. I talk, find out how she's doing, etc. Upon leaving with my "vegetarian" burrito the mother stops me and asks if I would do any one-on-one tutoring (for Toni).

I've been looking to tutor one-on-one!

Granted my burrito was disgusting and I strongly dislike La Taquizablahblah now, I guess it was meant for Toni and her mom to meet me at the shady corner restaurant where this man outside says "Baaaaye" to everyone as a disgruntled security man observes carefully.

It was inevitable, was it not?

2008-12-09T00:00:00.000-08:00

Vroom vroom VRRROOOOOM...
I got a speeding ticket. :(

A series of ridiculous events - part III.2

2008-12-07T19:14:00.000-08:00

Just when you think life couldn't get crazier... it does.

Saturday night (after arriving home)

We get ready chop chop... CHOP CHOP. We, ummm, don't eat. I get gas. Some other creepy man comes up and asks for gas at Chevron and L.O.V.E is playing in the background at Chevron. Strange.

We get to UCLA and can't get into parking. I legitimately tell Safia that we should just forget this and go out together. I can't take this anymore. The Persian arrives, takes the wheel, finds us parking, we pay, we walk a LONG way to get to the theater, and BAM!
I give Omid this look and tell him to go inside and we'll meet him in there. Safia knows, SHE KNOWS.(FORGETFUL EVENT#4) I left the tickets in the car... in my bag... which I also forgot in the car - intentionally. I didn't think I needed it.

I RUN.
We get into the theater, sit, listen, enjoy Beethoven's Ninth (Ode to Joy). People who didn't know any better clapped in-between movements... ew. It ends, I enjoyed it. I needed some joy in my life at that point.

We're, obviously, starved at this point. The five of us decide to go to Zankou Chicken on Sepulveda. We turn right instead of left after exiting the 405. Minor mistake that veered us off course a little, but you know, at this point, we're used to it. No worries. None at all...

We arrive finally and guess what?
The register reads in big red letters "No cash." Lucky for Safia and I, there was an ATM right behind us. After she withdraws some cash, we see the other register with its dinky little white sign, "Cash and credit card." %#@!*&
And another thing, we had to take it to go. What???
I don't want to tailgate at 11pm in my car at this sketchy location after BEING IN MY CAR FOR HOURS PRIOR.

We eat in Westwood in this patio area of an apartment. Good food. Good company. All going well. We go to Gypsy Cafe next - it was Safia's WISE choice. All was going well until I needed to use the restroom. Not that that was particularly bad, but I was looking at the door to get up and saw the guy at the door not letting this other guy in. A little tension? Kind of. A little push, a little shove and what else?

Restaurant guy slapped the other guy!!!
Huh? Did anyone else see that??

FIGHT.

Our table was pushed. Why, you ask? Well, we were kind of in the middle of it all, front row, VIP seats. Our table was right next to the door.

The guy wanting to get in gets pushed back by his friends, friends let him go, he kind of grabs a chair and throws it at the door hitting this girl.

WE NEED TO LEAVE.

The fight moved around our area, went briefly into the streets, punching heads and holding down to cars, a lot of men in the streets all getting involved, a friend trying to as well in his sweater and tie.

There's glass and coal and people and the guy from the restaurant digging in his pocket. We run by the movie theater entrance to stay safe. Almost leave. Where's Omid!??! The men RUN past us, very close to Safia who thought she was safe. We run to the car, get in, and go!

Safia, Caroline, and I went to bed around 3 something.

A custom ferris wheel, a bruin bonfire, fantastic fireworks, a cold King's game, free churros, terrible parking, a good game, a killer drive, a great concert, yummy food, fun company, a live Arab fight to top it all of.

What more could you ask for?

A series of ridiculous events - part III.1

2008-12-07T14:33:00.001-08:00

HOLY MOTHER OF PEARL.
Seriously
Seriously seriously, where do I begin? Where do I end? Does it end??
Saturday

GAME DAY.
Caroline, Safia, and I got an early morning start. We thought we had THE WHOLE DAY planned out - or at least, I did. Go to the game, tailgait, win the game, leave, get back, shower, get ready, leave for the UCLA orchestra concert, enjoy, enjoy, enjoy, blah blah blah, fun fun fun.
Leaving at 10:30 with food and my gourmet, $7 bag of vegetable chips, we were off. We arrive at the Rose Bowl (my first time there) and park on a golf course. Enclosed in between cars at every imaginable angle thinking how the holy do we get out of here at the end? Whatever, game's first. Get the food, switch my bag - SWITCHED MY BAG, REMEMBER THE BAG. We walk about 5 minutes away from the car and...
(FORGETFUL EVENT #3) I left my ticket in my car. So we go back, come back, walk a million miles, get 2ND ROW SEATS at the game next to the band and enjoy the game. We were on two TV networks, but don't know which ones. We may have quite possibly looking like maniacs, but we are now celebrities, nonetheless. Upon leaving, I kind of fell. I don't know how, I just lost footing, it was a lot of stairs. But I looked like a wobbly, drunk girl, "that girl," who fell at the top of the stairs. My foot screws couldn't save me from the humiliation. "Is she ok?" I hear.
"SHE'S FINE!" - Caroline.

We take an alternative route back to the car.

BAD IDEA.

We must have walked at least a mile, maybe more, past really stupid, drunk, "horny" as Safia called them, university of classless americans that kept staring at us. The Walk of Hell.

We get in the car at 5:20. Umm... we have a concert at 8 to get to and we need to get back asap.
Our needs were not met, not by any means.
We LITERALLY moved 10 feet in about 45 minutes. When Omid texted us, "Any progress?", I told Safia not to respond because well, we had nothing to say.
Why was there no one delegating traffic??
Why was there no civility?? Are we all barbarians with no common sense??? I think so. Stupid Rose Bowl.
The thing is, no matter how hard I try to explain our situation to anyone, NO ONE will ever truly understand except for the three of us. One hour and we hadn't moved. We had places to go, people to see, food to eat, lives to live!! I almost cried, but didn't.

Then Maximus and I did it - with the approval of C & S. We cut across about 200 feet and MERGED into this lane and MERGED into another one. I let this other man MERGE in front of me and another one also MERGED without my approval. I MERGED again with the five lanes that were trying to MERGE into one. I didn't let the THIRD guy MERGE in front of me - WE HAVE AN ORCHESTRA CONCERT TO GO TO!!

I wish I could make this short, but I honestly cannot.

We drive up the hill, down the hill, around the hill and land at the 210.

WEST or EAST?
WEST OR EAST??

We go West.
Bad Idea.
We go back East.
Bad Idea.
We exit on Arroyo because that's where we came from. Safe bet, you know? 10 minutes down the street and about 1.5 hours after getting into our car initially, we arrive...

at the rose bowl.

Shoot me.

Caroline calls her sister for directions, I almost hang up on Omid after calling. Tension is rising! Cars are piling!! Our stomachs our growling!!!

We find Orange Grove (which hits the 110) PERFECT.

Right or Left?
RIGHT OR LEFT??

I go right after almost jerking left.
Cop behind me.
"PULL OVER! KIRAN, PULL OVER!!" - Caroline

GOD, NO. PLEASE NO!!!! I just got new insurance, it's much more expensive.. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The cop drives by after rudely looking at me and giving a brief sound of his siren.

We arrive at the 110 screaming, shouting, yelling, clapping with glee. Safia even takes a picture of the freeway sign. We couldn't ask for more or be happier. Right?

Turn onto the freeway and BAM

STOPPED TRAFFIC.

HAHAHAHAHAHA. Life doesn't get more ironic, unpredictable, or ridiculous.

I bust out my reliable Sinatra CD, play track 15 - "That's Life" incredibly loudly, roll down the windows and sing my heart out as we drive 10 mph. Caroline's waving a USC pom pom out the window and Safia's taking pictures while texting Omid of our "progress," if you can call it that.
It's about 7:30/7:40 and the concert's at 8, remember?

We persist.

We take an alternative route suggested by a friend. 5s, 10w, 110s, home.
Well, the 10w isn't an option from the 5s. We realized this AFTER we get on the 10 East. Make a U-turn, go around, and finally arrive home at about 8:05/8:10. We got in our cars at 5:20.

Does the night end?
HAHA
Who am I kidding? It's just begun.

A series of ridiculous events - part II

2008-12-07T14:25:00.000-08:00

You can never anticipate fun-filled weekends like this. I never thought this would escalate...

Friday

Well, my roommates and I went to pretty cool King's game - even though they lost. But we got VIP, so we enjoyed it either way. Our first hockey game! It's freezing inside. FA-REE-ZING. Wear socks, I speak from experience.
(FORGETFUL EVENT #2) And don't forget your brand-new phone inside because, well, it's a long walk to customer services and, you know, you may not get as lucky as I did and actually have someone turn it in.

The night was just beginning. AFTERWARDS, because the girls of 229 can't sleep early, we go over to campus for Save Tommy Night. What is that, you ask. Well...

Laser Tag
Velcro Wall
Bungee Run
Human Hamster Ball
Darts
Dunk-a-Bruin Tank
Money Booth
Gladiator Joust
Bungee Run

Free
21 Choices
Fatburger
Pasta Roma
2 for 1 Pizza
Cafe Cinecitta
Mikoshi
Panda Express

Entertainment
Sun From Shaddow
The Trojan Marching Band
DJ Raw
USC Competition Cheer
Outrage
Troy Tones
Socal Vocals
Break Thru
WCDT (Kid Power)
Fly Girls

...yeah. $52 grand better get me stuff like this and I'm going to milk SC for all it's worth!
But the night still wasn't over, much less the weekend. We watched the Little Rascals when we got back!

That wasn't saaannd, that was kitty litter - Porky
He took the best years of my life - Darla
Quick, what's the number for 911? - Buckwheat

Tell me you don't love that movie - especially since the Spirit of Troy makes an appearance in the fair scene. WHOO!!

Friday was over...but Saturday, oh SATURDAY, was still on it's way.

A series of ridiculous events - part I

2008-12-07T14:00:00.000-08:00

I started this, if you can even count it as a legit blog, a couple of months ago...
then I abandoned it due to laziness. I didn't think I'd be back, but you know, it's days/events like the last few days/events I've had that just REALLY make you WANT to have a blog.
I might get lazy again, but for now, I'm wired.

Thursday:

I needed to pay the rent today. I didn't have cash or a check and refused to add an additional $30 to my already ridiculous rent by paying with credit card. So I decide to make a trip to good old Wells Fargo.
Problem.. there's only an atm on campus and I needed to deposit/withdraw too much money to trust an atm.
Simple, I'll just drive to DOWNTOWN.
(FORGETFUL EVENT #1) I go to my car from my apartment - five minute walk - and realize I left my keys in the apartment. UGH.
Whatever, I get the cash, come back, go to class, go back to the apt, give the money and BAM - "We don't take cash."

At this point I'm laughing.

I go BACK to downtown. The guy in the parking lot remembered me. And so did the nice, but so did the creepishly flirtatious bank manager. "Ah, well, you know, it's nice to see pretty girls like you around here."

GET THE MONEY ORDER (whatever that is) AND LEAVE.
+ $4 fee for money orders.

The evening was great though.

We, the Trojans, Pac-10 champs, finally know where our tuition money is going. Bonfires, music artists, fireworks, ferris wheels, laser tag, churros, sprinkles cupcakes, diddy riese's, and well, you know, massages.
Thursday night was Conquest! - the annual event/rally leading to our crosstown rivalry game with UCLA, aka four-letter word, as a friend calls it. So what does USC do??
They call in the Gym Class Heroes to perform with a backdrop of a Bruin burning in effigy and a customized ferris wheel. Oh yeah, there was also a rather impressive fireworks show.

WHAT A DAY!

Driving is a strategy

2008-09-21T23:23:00.000-07:00

Today's 7:30-8:10pm play-by-play:

She merges to the far right lane. Overtakes the truck via lane 2 and comes back in front of the minivan in lane 3. Waits to get space. Moves in and makes it in front of the corolla in lane 4. Yes!

How I got there -

So I understand it's LA and there HAS to be traffic ALL THE TIME, but 7:40ish on a Sunday night is not exactly what I would consider traffic time. I guess I was wrong...

The WHOLE WAY back to my apartment I had cars around me. Now granted, it wasn't stop and go (thank GOD), but it was the kind where you can't go faster than maybe 60. Ugh. Now normally I go home on Sundays around 10pm when I hit no one but a few stragglers on the road that drive at a rather comfortable speed for me. But I had a paper to write and I left my book at my place so I needed to chop chop home early as possible. Clearly I'm still adjusting.

So I decide to be the most efficient driving strategist, I need to figure out a plan to maneuver around these old, stubborn trucks and sedans that can't keep up with the speed of the night.

I overtake the annoying early 90s corolla that's impeding my acceleration. You know, there's a sign that reads "Slower Traffic Merge Right" on the 60. Stubborn drivers. As I think to pull another merge and overtake scheme, I see a black Ford Taurus to my right. Is that a cop car?

Ugh! I hate Ford Tauruses... they ALL look like cop cars at night and I don't want to take the risk.. After someone so kindly told me that sometimes the po-po aren't marked, they just have those extra side mirrors, I am far more cautious of the possible highway deception.

I also drove cautiously on the 10 a few miles before the fork where the left lane comes awfully close the center divider. I mean really, really close. So close you think you'll hit with the slightest glitch. So close that you contemplate changing lanes to the right to protect your precious automobile but you don't because you don't want to slow down when you're SO close to home. You know? After my roommate lost her side view mirror after a vicious attack by the fob indicator in our garage, I'm scared for Maximus' side protrusions. But I was relentless nonetheless.

I made it to my place in roughly 42 minutes - 12 minutes slower than last Sunday but still better than mapquest.

Is it just me or has that Tattoo Expo sign on the 10 W been there since ... 1990?

Aaron, I'm here.

Word from the wise

2008-09-21T01:41:00.000-07:00

The two left lanes on the 10 east - about 1 mile before you reach "the fork" - make your car sound funny. Whether it's Maximus with the problem, my tires, or my traffic-induced hallucinations, watch out for some funky sounds because I don't get them in the other lanes.

How much gas does a social life buy?

2008-09-21T00:49:00.000-07:00

Not much.

I filled my tank Thursday afternoon (around 6pm-ish).
I filled my tank Saturday morning (11am-ish).

That's pathetic. I drive too much. But you know what? It's not the driving that bothers me, it's the gosh darn traffic that CONSUMES me. I mean, it drains so much I need anti-depressants for every time I hop on the freeway.

Thursday (for dinners with friends and professors) -

I drove from my apartment in South Central LA (ye-ah!) to Hollywood and then to Westwood and then back. Roughly 35 miles total that took nearly two hours to complete. Welcome to LA, right? I made some great observations:

1) Ugly cars drive slower than the nicer ones - however, the occasional not-so-great car with the frustrated college student goes at a better speed
2) People who are not going to drive above 65 feel some kind of liberation driving in the left lane because they hold back us "reckless" drivers.
3) Sometimes, the second lane from the farthest ride is the best one because no one suspects it! It's the best keep secret that only works 10% of the time.
4) After someone mentioned it to me, I see now that bald men like convertibles. Again, whether embracing their hairless head is liberating or they like the sunny glow, it's quite common.
5) We need public transportation.

Friday (for shopping and unprecedented frozen yogurt) -

Drove from my apartment to Pasadena...medium traffic
Drove from Pasadena to my apartment...traffic
Drove from my apartment to my home...unimaginable traffic - and sigalert.com is NOT reliable

Observations:
1) I HATE THE 60 FREEWAY - it has the ugliest scenery, cars, and meanest drivers.
2) USC license plates are everywhere before I hit the 60.
3) I wish I had a jet by now...

Saturday (for hanging out and charity) -

Drove from my Chino Hills home to West Hollywood
Drove from West Hollywood to Culver City
Drove from Culver City back to West Hollywood
Drove from West Hollywood back to my home...MAJOR TRAFFIC ON A SATURDAY?!?!!

Why do they call it "stop and go" traffic anyway? Isn't it more like "stop and try to go?"

I almost fell asleep on my way home today. When I can't speed, weave, steadily drive, or chat with someone, the sleepy comes to get me.
If you're ever bored, call me... I'm probably driving.