Spring Break in LA

Spring Break in LA, originally uploaded by Itinerant.

Cheap flights are good. $39 to LA from Oakland on JetBlue (advance purchase required).

Greyhound money, and greyhound doesnt have live TV in the headsets. Fast, comfy. I should do this more often.

Pity JetBlue doesnt fly to Hawai'i...
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Over my years of flying, Ive noticed passengers getting out act differently depending on which destination, which city theyre off-boarding.

The passengers getting off in New York, for instance, largely adopt a world-weary, impatient, look-at-their-watches-a-lot, been there, done this all the time attitude.

Miami, its a loaded down with everything, high-energy, get going attitude.

Jacksonville, slow-relaxed, low anxiety attitude, as most passengers had other planes to catch, long drives to go to get to where they are going.

Chicagoans shrug their shoulders, straigh ahead, serious look, things to do attitude.

My first flight into LA.. it was STRIKING the set most folk adopted.. a self-conscious, hair-styled, everybody-is-looking-at-me attitude.

An hour before flying outta frisco - they were way more relaxed. Wow.
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I'd under-estimated how long it would take to get from downtown LA to Long Beach Airport, and got there as my flight home was taking off.

This is why I never book the last flight outta town if I can help it.

I was expecting the grief airlines usually give me. Nope, not JetBlue. They instantly gave me a standby ticket, and made sure I had a seat to get home.

I got treated the way I expect to be treated.

Combine the reasonable prices -- I'll be flying them again.

Plus, I like having TeeVee to watch on the flight.

Dinner with the Yams

Spring Break in LA

Dinner with the Yams, originally uploaded by Itinerant.

Father & Son

Didnt have much time while in LA, but made the time to hang with the Yam Fam.

Dinner with the Yams was great. Hawaiian, filling.. and good. I even got to try spam musubi for the first time.

Was good. :)
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With work, social and family obligations, Mr Yam made sure I was ok during my visit.

And then made sure I ate well.

Shows you the kinda guy he is.

Spring Break in LA

Spring Break in LA

Spring Break in LA, originally uploaded by Itinerant.

Cary Grant's star on the Walk of Fame.
Location: 1610 Vine.

It was overcast and gloomy, but as soon as I got to this star - the sun peeked through the gloom, and the gold in the star turned on.

Righteous. :)

That's mah boy. I hadda do the pilgrimage.

Im home.

Got into town, dropped off my bags, went straight to work without even changing or sleeping. Just woke up.

Coming out of the 16th & Mission BART station, lugging my bags, I heard applause and music. There were a bunch of young musicians having a classical music jam session. Not for money, not for fame, just because.
So Bay Area.

Made me smile.

Its not home, but nice to come back to.
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Ugh. One thing I hate is coming back from a trip, and my place is a mess. Just like I left it.

Again, the horrorscopes are on target.

You need all the optimism you can get today. Dress in cheery colors. Use your spare hours to clean up a pig sty -- even if it's not yours.

Ohhh, this mess is mine. :)
Yeah, cleaning it up will make me feel better.

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JPennant: hokay, im home
misterB: :-)
misterB: just now, or didja just wake up?
JPennant: woke up
JPennant: last night i just dropped off my bags, went directly to work
misterB: nod
misterB: so you feeling R&R'd now?
JPennant: a little
JPennant: now, i gotta free some space off my drive - then I can offload the images
misterB: what was the final total of pics you took?
JPennant: you know, i dont know - but its at least 1 gb of images
JPennant: and becase of how I backup and store my images, i need about 2 gb free

JPennant: heh, i had me hawaiian food before I left LA
JPennant: from downtown LA in the Grand Central market
JPennant: so, I ate salmon and mac salad on the plane
JPennant: (that was $1.50)
misterB: haha
JPennant: then a combo plate ,, mahi mahi, rice, bbq chicken, beef, mac salad for my meal at work.
JPennant: (that was $3.21)
misterB: whoa, cheep cheep!
JPennant: danged reasonable
misterB: its comfort food, I tell ya!
JPennant: indeed :-)
JPennant: the chinese lady who served me, obviously grew up in hawaii
misterB: :-)
JPennant: because she moved her feet like she learned hawaiian dancing since she was a child
JPennant: funny how Im noticing that
JPennant: the way some hawaiian women move their arms and feet without thinking
misterB: hehe

JPennant: I ate a LOT while I was in LA
JPennant: Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles, IHOP, Hawaiian :-)
misterB: yeah... good eats!
misterB: I know tons of good food around here.... too bad I hafta stay away from most now days :-(
JPennant: Must be torture :-)
misterB: sux getting old :-P
JPennant: yeah, Im hungry - but idont wanna go get my usual junk :-)
JPennant: I got a lil spoiled in LA :-)
misterB: haha
misterB: food is as addicting as illegal drugs!
JPennant: hee

JPennant: It took me two hours to go from downtown LA to Long Beach Airport
JPennant: over 2 hours, rather
JPennant: man. the distances
misterB: hahaha, that's why no one here talks in distances... it's in time
JPennant: which is never insignificant Im realizing
JPennant: that was fun :-)
misterB: how far? is answered.. 20 minutes!
JPennant: heh
JPennant: I did a lot of trekking on that last day
JPennant: I wasnt gonna, but I did
misterB: that's a good sign then...
JPennant: Wow. Downtown LA down Broadway is LONG
misterB: like a kid in a candy store...
JPennant: heheh, but of course :-)
misterB: a photographer in LaLa land
JPennant: GREAT light
JPennant: no wonder the movie industry gravitated there
JPennant: Even in downtown LA, I saw a movie crew towing a car doing one of those "driving, talking in the car' scenes. They were towing a gold mustang.
misterB: haha
misterB: nod
JPennant: you'll see what I mean. I got great examples of that light

WOOHOO! COMING SOON TO HOME VIDEO: JOE GONE WILD!

-Clint
-Mar 18 2005, 07:06 am

misterB: I saw clints comments... hahaha!
JPennant: LOL. There IS some of that, re: Venice beach pics. I was being a total perv
misterB: hehe... send me some of those pics you don't post ;-)
JPennant: *kekeke*

JPennant: To be honest, i didnt think I would enjoy my trip as much as I did
JPennant: but I didi
misterB: cool!
JPennant: yes indeed :-)
misterB: looking forward to see the pics!
misterB: of where you went
JPennant: I'll start putting them up tonight
misterB: great!
JPennant: A lot to go through
misterB: yeah, i'll bet

JPennant: 1,014 images
misterB: geeeez!
JPennant: yup

JPennant: yeah, twas a good trip
JPennant: Heh, I bought a lotto ticket at the conrner of Hollywood & Vine :-)
JPennant: hope thats lucky
misterB: haha.. good luck!

On Spring Break

... in LA.

Window display

Window display, originally uploaded by Itinerant.

Whoo.

I didnt know it when I booked the flights, but I need to get outta town - even if its only for a few days.

Today's horrorscope sez exactly whats been going on:

Moral and ethical issues arise. If you can't get involved in what the group is doing, it may be because it's inherently wrong. An honest man doesn't really have a knack for that sort of activity.

Too long to explain, but I had to make a decision I took no joy in - but there is a certain element of ... satisfaction.

Sometimes ya gotta be the bad guy. I had to do it, and it was done to me yesterday.

Im fine with events either way. Has to be done.

But the flip side in being the bad guy - is dealing with the whirlwind ya just reaped.

Which is why Im glad to be packing to go outta town.

I'll deal with it when I get back.
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Since its only a few days, Im packing my old ratty backpack.

It wasnt ratty when I got it in March of 2002 - but, whoo boy, Ive lived out of, lived on, carried, slept on, sat on this bag.

Been with me almost every day since then.

It is most definitely worse for wear. But still functional.

The guy who gave it to me, gave it to me to send me on my way on Great Adventure as he called it.

I still havent written him back to tell him about what Ive been through - but he was prescient.

Heh. He's getting a novel from me.

No way Im throwing this backpack away.

A heart left in San Francisco

A heart left in San Francisco, originally uploaded by Itinerant.

San Francisco in the Fog

San Francisco in the Fog, originally uploaded by Itinerant.

San Francisco's City Hall.

Le Girl

Le Girl, originally uploaded by Itinerant.

One o' the frustrating things about my social life in the Bay Area was that I didnt have a camera to document it.

Glinessa: she's cute!
JPennant: she is :)
JPennant: but her looks is not really why I like her
Glinessa: so what does it for you?
JPennant: It?
Glinessa: it = what attracts you to her
JPennant: well, she's funny and and has a sweet unaffected geeky energy while being thoroughly down to earth
Glinessa: lol
Glinessa: what is it about her that you like
JPennant: her smile actually
JPennant: Im a sucker for a good smile
Glinessa: see....there's the "it"
JPennant: but a certain kind of smile.. you know the one I mean
Glinessa: i know...different, but beautiful
JPennant: you know when someone sees you and they tilt their head and gives you a certain crooked smile?
Glinessa: yeah
JPennant: that one
JPennant: she looks at me sideways, rolls her eyes at the fool I am, then gives me that smile
Glinessa: gotcha
JPennant: but since you cant fake that smile - Im a sucker for it :-)
Glinessa: that's true
JPennant: wanna hear how we met?
Glinessa: sure
Glinessa: hit it
JPennant: heh
JPennant: It was when I was staying in the Berkeley mens shelter back in Aug of 2003
JPennant: I was at the local job development office in their computer room, helping this guy set up his email for a job
JPennant: she comes in to search for a job, signs up for a computer, but there were none available
JPennant: except since I was helping this guy, i wasnt using the computer I was sitting at
JPennant: so, I got up and told her she could use it
Glinessa: nice guy
JPennant: so, she comes over.. sits down, playfully bounces up and down on the chair, and declares
JPennant: "Mmm, nice. Thank you for warming up the chair", and flashes me THAT smile
Glinessa: lol
Glinessa: and you were hooked ever since
JPennant: well, no - not exactly
JPennant: :-)
JPennant: but I thought she was very cute and fun
Glinessa: that's cool

Yup. It is cool.

Citibank sign

Citibank sign, originally uploaded by Itinerant.

' "On Sale", loosely translated, does not mean "absolutely necessary". '

Citibank sign

Citibank sign, originally uploaded by Itinerant.

"Pay compliments in large installments"

Fog in San Francisco

Fog in San Francisco, originally uploaded by Itinerant.

Friday, the temps hit record highs. Beautiful day.

Nightfall, the winds rushed in bringing in the fog.

San Francisco City Hall.