life in LA -- for better or worse...

I'm getting used to living here despite my long-standing loathing of L.A. I was beginning to like LA, and then the madness began:

Re the Grocers Strike: ongoing. learned to live without them. found a great store not far from home. I thought I died and went to kosher heaven! I bought all my favorite Israeli products: cracked green olives, Ski, cow-chocolate, feta cheese, and Milki. They even have my favorite french wine for $7.99.

Re the MTA Strike: still ongoing, no end in sight. traffic is awful, but not at 5:30a. Mustang still running great, for the time being. But I really would rather ride the train...its the environmentalist in me (air quality is so important) as well as the preservationist in me (want to keep the mustang pristine). besides, I can brief cases on the train -- can't do that on the freeway.

So the other morning, there was this desperate guy walking up and down Lankershim looking for a ride downtown. I tried to ignore him because I was a bit afraid to pick up a frantic-looking african american off the street (being a petite white girl driving a fairly cool car alone), but when he looked at me so desperately, I told him to hop in.

First thing: the guy was drunk. okay, I think. no problem. If he pulls anything funny, I've got sobriety on my side. and a big can of whoop-ass. but the reek was difficult to tolerate.

Second: the guy was homeless. yet he says to me "money doesn't mean anything to me" and gives me $5. To which I reply, "It should. you should save your money, because maybe you can someday afford to buy a car."

Third: the guy was harmless. we actually had a great conversation and it made sitting in traffic a little more bearable. the guy works at a flower shop, so I figure he can't be all that bad.

Fourth: the guy was completely directionless. seriously, all the way through hollywood (going 5 mph), he kept telling me we passed downtown. I kept assuring him we have not, and telling him "you gotta trust me, I'll get you where you need to go."

So I dropped him off at McArthur park so he could catch the dash bus to spring st. It felt pretty good helping out a person in need, and not giving in to stereotypical fears.

Re The Snow: so the wildfires are pretty bad, and the ash is still falling, but not like it was a few days ago. But today, hopping on the 101 home, somebody spilled an entire truckload of those packing peanuts on the freeway. I cracked up because it really looked like snow!

Re The Wildfires: the weather has substantially cooled, which should help calm the fires a bit as well as clearing the air. ya gotta love the on-shore flow. The sun didn't have that "weird orange glow" like during the last week, and the "big black wall of smoke" hanging over the Hollywood hills has dissipated. Now if it would only rain, we could actually get these fires under control.

I feel really awful for all those folks in the hills who have lost their homes. But I feel even worse for the horses...they get really spooked by fire and bolt. There is a "large animal" shelter for people to board their horses, but its not the easiest thing trying to handle a spooked horse who knows that he's supposed to run as fast as possible away from fire.

Worse yet, one of the fires is heading for the Angeles National Forest...they have to keep the fire out of there at all costs. I hope they can.