Walkin' The Dog (aka Walks with Harvey) - Observations from the City Sidewalk

You definitely learn a lot more about your neighborhood and its inhabitants when you have to walk the dog 3 times a day.

My block is decent, but you turn East and hit pockets of sketchiness and go West a couple of blocks and you're in a whole different world with the tony mansions, perfect lawns and gated patio/pool backyards of Hancock Park.

Things observed/overheard last week:

- A true Tree Hugger - an older, thin Korean man humping a palm tree on Irving Blvd in Hancock Park. He was not merely exercising, his arms were wrapped around the tree and he was violently thrusting his groin back and forth against it. I stayed my distance, but couldn't not watch.

- Hulu Hoop Gal - a middle aged Korean woman swiveling her hips in a gated condo driveway at 3rd/Norton. She had no expression as she calmly kept the hulu hoop in play. She was good.

- a chubby 30ish white dude jogging at Pan Pacific Park that Harvey tried to jump on (he has a thing for runners). The dude used the old "what's your dog's name, what's your name, you wanna go for coffee?" routine. Ugh!

- Old people (one in a neck brace) milling about Griffith Observatory before it opened. They were enjoying one another's company and chatting in the parking lot. It wasn't due to open for a couple of hrs - so maybe someone made a mistake or there was a special event.

- The unmistakable sqwacking of someone practicing clarinet.

- Two people on different blocks practicing piano. One singing along. The one without singing was MUCH better!

- The Halfway House people bumming cigarettes and dollars and looking a little scary at the corner (especially this emaciated Michael Jackson looking dude with pearly white dentures). He greets you with a wide smile when you see him, but there is something really off about him. It's so strong you can feel it just by looking at him. Poor guy.

- The classic cat/dog chase. Had to pull Harvey back from joining in.

Stay tuned for next week's adventures...

Offensive and Smart!

Almost done with my writing/directing for the internet classes and will be posting new videos soon.

In the mean time - check out one of my fellow students shorts on McCain. His series is PAINT WITH HATE and he's an equal opportunity offender.

It's smart and funny and gleefully non PC all at once!

You may laugh, you may cry, you may feel anger and bile rising in your throat, but you will not leave unmoved.

And that, my friends, is no easy feat. Kudos to Andrew! If you like it, check out his other work at youtube - just type in PAINT WITH HATE. This is the kinda stuff that goes viral!

Wow! A Nasty Topper!

I thought I'd seen it all, but this political ad hits below the belt and in back of the knees and between the toes! Holy crap!

Al Franken is deried as a pornographer/rapist/bully. Poor Minnesotans being subjected to this in prime time!

Volunteer Angst!

Tried to volunteer to help on a political campaign and was highly irritated!

My offer to go to Nevada for a wknd and pay my own gas/room wasn't enough - they wanted more wknds. And I was to come in to make cold calls to other states. When I told them that my Ohio relatives still had election fatigue from 4 years ago and HATED those calls then and now - I was poo-poo'd and told that polls show the calls are effective and that I might have to do what they thought was best as opposed to what I thought was best.

I'm a volunteer - for God's sake! A volunteer. If you are going to condescend to me at least write me a paycheck.

Did It Again!

Ruined another shirt cleaning! Geez! And all I did was spray the kitchen counters in anticipation of our new dog Harvey!

The lesson is - limit your cleaning, it ruins clothes ;)

Lazy Cleaning - Tip on What Not to Do

If you are cleaning with anything with bleach, ANYTHING, even if it's just a dollop, change your clothes if they are something you like.

I already ruined a concert T-shirt that way and I did it again today. Just didn't feel like changing my outfit and thought I could clean neatly. STUPID.

Paradise in Portland!

Make no mistake about it - McMenamin's Edgefield is pure utopia! This former poor farm/inmate labor/nursing home is self-contained paradise.

Thank you FDR for helping this happen! The bones of this place wouldn't have been built without your belief in people helping others. Alas - sooner or later - no one wanted to help the insane and infirm and would rather have them wander the streets.

The stately institutional buildings almost hit the wrecking ball when Northwest pub maestros - the McMenamin bros - rescued and renovated the 74 acre grounds.

An on-site brewery, winery, distillery, concert grounds, par 3 golf course (that goes right through the concert grounds), a beautiful soaking pool, comfy robes you wear around the grounds, multiple little bars (that used to house laundry rooms, the morgue, potato processing plant, etc.), big porches (where you drink your beer in your robe), painted doors showcasing the former inhabitants, views of mountains and lush green grounds teeming with flowers, blackberries, pear and apple trees, (I ate handfuls of blackberries before I saw the signs where the berry fairy asked you not to), etc.

After I finish this Hammerhead amber ale microbrew made on site, my beau and I are going to check out a musician at the winery. A Nosy Nelly video will most likely come soon (unless I am too caught up in my microbrews to coherently make a piece). In the meantime - check out the link to this paradise on earth...

http://www.mcmenamins.com/index.php?loc=3

CHEERS!