A few years ago, I took the Sunset Limited train from New Orleans all the way to Loserville, that is, Los Angeles, that is, Trashyville. Such a romantic way to travel. It took two days and two nights. This is the train's route. And as I rocked gently and peacefully to the train's railtrack lullaby,… Continue reading A mass-shooting tour of the USA, mostly by train
I've been reading two books written in days of yore, both set in Scotland. One is Waverley, which was published in 1814, and one is Beside the Bonnie Brier Bush, published in 1894. So they were both published on opposite bookends of the 19th century. I'm reading them because they are both books that Lucy… Continue reading Scottish-Swedish words
California prides itself on being the smartest place ever, so let's see how clever they actually are. It was Eid, and I was sending a bunch of Eid cards to people around the country. One of the cards was going elsewhere up the trashy West Coast. I deposited that particular card with about 3 others… Continue reading How reliable is the post office in Los Angeles?
I made a video about not planting vinca: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3JBtcSOyMM So seriously, don't plant vinca. I entered this video into the Fredrikstad Animation Festival. I've been entering animations into this festival since I was in graduate school. I had it as one of my life goals to be selected into this festival, even if it took… Continue reading Don’t plant vinca part 2
August 2014. Exactly 10 years ago. That was the summer that "Daesh" (ISIS) had suddenly taken over parts of Iraq and Syria. I was in Jordan at the time, so right in the neighborhood. Yet Jordan had been so still and peaceful that the clamor from next-door had felt far away. But then, things started… Continue reading What’s it like flying to Los Angeles?
I am both re-reading Villette right now (by Charlotte Bronte), and reading The Home for the first time (by Fredrika Bremer). Charlotte Bronte is world famous, of course. Fredrika Bremer, an author from Sweden, may not be famous right now, but she was back in her day, even in the USA. The Loserville library has… Continue reading Charlotte Bronte and Fredrika Bremer
I was waiting at the metro stop when a man got off the train. His pants were wet, and then he just stood there and made them even more wet, and an almighty puddle formed around him. Then he very theatrically raised his arms in the air, dropped down right over the tracks, and draped… Continue reading Is the Los Angeles metro safe? Part 8
I fell asleep on the Metro the other day. I don't recommend that you do this. But I was extremely tired. And, nothing happened to me. I awoke with all my possessions intact and no one had decided to give me a black eye during my slumbers. So therefore, we can state that, having fallen… Continue reading Is the Los Angeles metro safe? Part 7
I recently came back to Los Angeles after a few weeks away, and in my first 2 hours, I realized afresh that this is the rudest, least civilized place on the planet. I got yelled at twice by bratty random people as I trudged on and off the public transportation. Such a nice welcome. When… Continue reading How rude are the people in Los Angeles?
I'm reading "Pioneer Girl" by Laura Ingalls Wilder. This is the first autobiography she wrote of her life, before she started writing the "Little House" books. I always assumed the Little House books were the truth and nothing but the truth, but based on "Pioneer Girl", I am finding out this is not the case.… Continue reading Welfare
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