Catching Up

So much to catch up on.

So I've been in LA now for about 3 weeks. For the first 2, I was sleeping on an air mattress and still living out of a suitcase. Very thankful to have my bed! And that I have room for my futon to give me a little getaway. My roommates are nice. But I'm too introverted to not have my own space. Walls are a pale green. So I've tried to keep it mostly gray, white & aqua green.

And the house I rent a room in comes with a "resident cat" named Goatee. He is friendly. Almost dog-like. He even likes his belly rubbed.

My goal my first day as a resident of LA was to see the Pacific Ocean. To touch it. Feel it. (It was COLD.) Made it Santa Monica Beach and walked over to the famous Santa Monica Pier. End of Route 66.

One of my favorite things about LA/SoCal so far is the amount of street art & murals almost everywhere. Some of it is really good. Of course, there is some cheap graffiti too, but a lot of real art.

And the big news, at least for me, is that my car was totaled. I kept it at my mom's place back in Macon until I decided if I was going to bring it with me or sell it. A tree limb fell on it one night and rained into it. Damaged the back glass, roof, spoiler, trunk, rear tray & back seat enough to need replacement. And the right quarter panel has a repairable dent. Still finishing up some of the paperwork for it but it is a goner.

On a positive note, my new job position comes with a company car. "Mine" has been on order for a while now and I have been driving a rental vehicle. The bad part about the rental is that it is only on weekdays. Which left me stranded on the weekends. "Mine" is still on order but a fleet vehicle came available. 2019 Chevrolet Malibu. It may still be swapped out for "mine" down the road but thankful to have my own transportation again. (And thankful it is not a wrapped company car. I prefer incognito mode.)

Observations - Part 1

There are a few things that I have noticed since I have been in SoCal. Some bad. Some good. Mostly different. I'm sure I'll continue to add to the list the longer I am here. (Thus "Part 1")

1. Traffic in LA is NO JOKE! Don't get me wrong, I heard it was bad and I expected it to be bad. But it is NONSTOP! I would say my average speed on the freeway is probably 45. Come to a dead stop often. And side/surface streets are just as bad. It is everywhere. All the time.

2. Because there is always traffic, drivers are better. Changing lanes in traffic is not stressful or dangerous.

3. Parking is as bad as the traffic. And most parking is street parking. (parallel parking) Most businesses don't have the real estate to have large parking lots. I was used to street parking in Macon since I parked on the street at my place on Ridge. At my place in LA, I have found a parking place in front of the house once. I'm usually about 4-5 houses down.

4. Space, in general, is very limited. With so many people in such a small area & real estate demands, there is a lot crammed into a small space.

5. Tap water tastes HORRIBLE. Not dangerous to drink but it is gross. So most drink filtered water (like thru the fridge) or bottled water. But you have to pay an extra fee for plastic bottles. Why not make the water taste better (like in Macon) so more people will use refillable water bottles???

6. I went to In-n-Out burger for lunch today. It is worth the hype! I mean it is still a burger & fry place. But by far the best fast food burger. Patties are a touch thinner than say 5 Guys but that means that they get a bit of char to them. And the fries are thinner than 5 Guys. Size is more like McD's. But they taste like they are double fried. Crispy outsides (even the last stragglers in the basket) and fluffy insides. Salty enough to not require ketchup. 10/10 would recommend.

7. The place I'm renting comes with a fully furnished kitchen, living & dining rooms. But apparently, that does not include a microwave. I ate cold leftovers today because it was not worth it to get out a pot & reheat on the stovetop.

8. The weather has been great. The lack of humidity is everything I hoped it would be. Actually felt a cool breeze blow through a body shop today. Wearing pants & short sleeves is comfortable in June! I can walk outside & not immediately be drenched in sweat.

9. Kinda like my place on Ridge in Macon, I live on a street where folks are out walking their dogs all the time. I met a giant floof yesterday named Maggie. Looks like she is probably a black lab & chow mix. (I didn't check the tongue.) But on the larger side for a lab and fluffy. And very happy to get pets on her head.

10. Google Maps and I are now in a committed relationship. Obviously, I am using it every time I drive somewhere but I use it for so much more too. See where to eat near a shop I'm at. What stores are near home. Estimate drive times to plan/schedule my day. I can't imagine a time I won't use Google Maps. Even when I learn the area, I'll still want to know when traffic is bad. Or what is nearby.

** more observations to come.
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