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June 2012
Two days after my 30th birthday, I pack up and move from suburban Riverside, California to Downtown Los Angeles. This is my 30th year.
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I drop the girlfriend off back in Riverside. There won't be a significant change in the amount of time we spend together. Yet, tears are still shed. She started it.
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My first night alone. And I catch this scene from my window: Followed by this one:
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Trying to create a routine, I venture out and have my first lunch as a Downtown resident. Mendocino Farms, you are delicious.
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The Kings win the Stanley Cup two blocks from my apartment. At first I think it is all kind of fun and exciting. Then, after hours of struggling to set-up my internet service, I begin to think otherwise.
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No friends. No desk. Nowhere to set-up my computer. No place to comfortably sit. No way to quickly make this home... What the hell am I doing?
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Seriously... what the hell am I doing?
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I make my way out for my first Downtown Art Walk. The art is okay... The architecture is great... Anf the people are... well... There is this guy in the middle of the street:
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Already back in Riverside for the weekend. And although I technically no longer reside here, I feel like I'm home.
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Furniture is delivered and in place. Belongings are all unpacked. Commence lonely existence of working from home in a daunntingly huge new city where I have no friends.
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I break out of my Downtown bubble and drive into Culver City for dinner with the girlfriend and friends. And I feel like I've been had... this whole traffic thing is a breeze. That is until I'm actually trying to park in Downtown Culver City.
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I spend some time at a Starbucks around the corner, brainstorming a project which would chronicle my Downtown experience. You should be reading it now...
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Friday evening spent on the Westside. And now, this traffic thing makes a whole lot of sense.
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An afternoon in Los Feliz with visiting friends means I take my first trip on the Metro. Who knew it wouldn't just be us and a bunch of homeless crazies?
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Morning run in Elysian Park offers spectacular views, but is uncomfortably desolate at times. However, I do get to witness Gay Cruising for the first time in my life.
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Back to Riverside for three days of work remodeling the new corporate office. It's hard to get settled with this schedule, but getting paid to paint a mural for my boss isn't all that bad.
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The Original Pantry Cafe: Good for late-night food runs with your sister after picking her up from LAX. But not really the healthiest choice. And, to be honest... kind of gross.
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Meetups full of web designers and web developers aren't always the most social events.
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I come across this applicable quote while drinking some wine and watching Urbanized: "The thing that attracts us to the city is the chance encounter, the knowledge that you'll be able to start here, end up here and go back there, but that something unexpected will happen along the way, that you'll make a discovery." - Norman Foster, Architect
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Having both the X-Games and an Anime Convention just blocks from home makes for some interesting sidewalk encounters.
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July 2012
Second straight day doing a six-mile run through Griffith Park. I could get used to this. I'm beginning to create some semblance of a routine.
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Sitting in Grand Hope Park, eating a delicious panini. Fantastic.
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I've eaten lunch at a new place every single day. But I'm getting a little tired of sandwiches, salads, and wraps. So today, I spice things up with some delicious Indian food.
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Here I am at 11:45, on the couch, enjoying my evening. And here I am at 11:55, on the street corner, not enjoying my evening. Thank you, random neighbor, for your small electrical fire.
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With my aunt and uncle in tow, I discover that Downtown may not be the most convenient place to spend a national holiday.
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Having a few beers on a Thursday afternoon makes for an interesting walk through the city.
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Scenes like this are always awkward to walk through:
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"You're definitely in the bottom 1% of fashionability in your building..."
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The conversations overheard on Griffith Park hikes can be so LA.
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Colorful street characters can give visitors an interesting view of Downtown.
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I'm excited to see a crowded food truck ahead during my lunch outing. How LA! Turns out, it's just In'N'Out.
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Second time at a web design Meetup. And I am a bit surprised by the make-up of the group.
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There is a small "riot" at Art Walk tonight. I wouldn't know. I'm back in the Inland Empire, catching up with my ex-roommate.
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San Diego Comic-Con... Why do I put myself through this torture year after year?
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I spend the night in Riverside after two days at Comic-Con. Within two seconds of my head hitting the pillow, I look like this:
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Back to the grind after the weekend in San Diego. And it feels like I barely leave my desk over the next 48 hours.
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My sister and her friend stop by on their way to a concert. I take them on a quick walk through Downtown to grab some food.
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Christmas in July! Downtown film shoots can be a little disorienting sometimes.
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Downtown dinner with my aunt and her heterosexual Domestic Partner + A bit of Jack Daniel's = A taxicab confrontation:
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My parents and sister make their way out to see my place. So I drag them on a 2.5 mile trek around Downtown.
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Yet again... In Riverside for the weekend.
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Sure, there are hundreds of Hollywood movies showcasing my new Downtown neighborhood... But when it's Batman kicking ass on streets I recognize from my daily life, I can't help but get excited.
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Sure is quiet working alone in this apartment all the time. I need some LA friends...
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I live on the 4th floor of a 15-story building. Even small earthquakes tend to rattle the nerves more than they ever did in Riverside.
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It's a bit lonely in the apartment. So I hop on the Metro and head over to Pasadena for the afternoon... Where I sit quietly and don't talk to anybody.
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After hearing some yelling, I watch this scene unfold in the middle of the street beneath my window. Wow.
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Another quiet evening in the apartment.
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On my way out to Riverside for the third straight weekend, this time to help the girlfriend move into a new apartment.
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Heading back into the city, I realize I was away during AdultCon (a porn convention a few blocks from my building). So, it's fairly safe to say I missed out on my neighborhood sidewalks looking exactly like this:
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At sunset I head out to the Central Library Maguire Gardens, excited about a new spot to snap some photos. They end up looking like all of my other photos of Downtown.
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I'm finally caught up. This project that you're reading right now is finally on track, and is now online. I feel so accomplished! Now I just need to keep it up for ten more months...
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August 2012
I can think of worse ways to spend a Wednesday afternoon than in Hollywood, drinking beer, discussing the complexities of refined American cinema.
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Seeing yellow filming notices around Downtown is incredibly common. But today I get a little excited when I notice a sign for one of my favorite shows just a couple blocks from home. I stalk the location for more time than I'm proud to admit, but ultimately decide I've missed all of the action.
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Pleasant night at Urth Caffe in Santa Monica, with the girlfriend and one of her college friends.
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Good way to ruin a perfectly good evening? Dropping your two $100-a-piece electronic keys down the elevator shaft...
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After hiking in Fryman Canyon and lunch on the Boulevard, our day in The Valley ends with a dip in the pool. How else could it end? It's disgustingly hot in The Valley. Eww.
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Awaiting my new set of electronic keys. I feel like such an annoyance every time I have to be let into my own apartment.
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SoCal August Heat Wave: Riverside (where I spent my previous 30 summers): 106 degrees; Downtown Los Angeles: 88 degrees. Beautiful.
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With a free afternoon, I decide on a change of scenery, and head over to L.A. Live to get some tea, relax, and read for a bit. Nevermind. Bad idea.
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With the girlfriend in town, we originally plan on heading over to Art Walk... But find it easier to just relax at home.
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Friday night to myself. Maybe I'll go catch a movie at Arclight...Maybe I'll head over to a coffee shop, relax, and do some reading or drawing... Or maybe I'll just buy some beer and sit in front of the computer all night.
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Back in Riverside for a family barbecue, chatting with one of my sisters and her husband (This sister being the only member of my immediate family yet to see my new place.)
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Beautiful views of LA as I make my way back into the city via the Metrolink.
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I found a food truck spot! They're only three blocks from home... But it's taken me two months to figure out they're here.
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Without any social opportunities, I still need ways to break up my work week... So I walk to the movies and re-watch things I've already seen.
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Free Thursday evenings at MOCA! There are tons of pieces ahead of me that look interesting... But those galleries are closed off. And I'm left with a room full of Rothko.
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In Thai Town for dinner, seemingly worlds away from Downtown. I suddenly realize: 1. LA is remarkably diverse... 2. LA is a geographic behemoth... 3. I'm yet to feel connected to any of it.
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Downside of living in Downtown? Being racked with guilt for all the money your girlfriend spends just to come visit you.
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A walk through Downtown with visiting Riverside friends after dinner at Colori Kitchen; And just 10 minutes later at LA Live.
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Hanging out with a handful of comic creators in Downtown may not be the coolest thing possible. But I don't care. It was kind of fun.
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Jesus Christ, this is hot! How does everybody around here walk around dressed like this all the time?
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Because of some supposed high-rise City Building Code, my windows are screenless. I like keeping them open throughout the day. Bugs aren't usually an issue... Yet, here I am at 2:30 am: On a maniacal hunt for the mosquito which has been attacking me every single time the lights go out...
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So tired.
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With the incessant honking outside my window, you'd figure this would be a common scene. Nope, this was a first.
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"So over the last couple of days, I spent a bunch of free time putting in this sharing and commenting system here. If you're the first person to say something smart or witty, maybe I'll put you in a cartoon or something."
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Watching some TV during the daily workout.
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About a week ago I encountered this scene at the park across the street from my building: I didn't have the slightest clue what I was looking at. Today, while discussing K-Pop- Gangnam-Style-horse-dancing-YouTube-craziness, I was able to piece it together:
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In the San Jacinto Valley for the day. The scenery is a bit different than Downtown LA.
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A certain Lone Star State librarian-in-training left me quite the creative comment. As promised, here she is in a comic... thinking about leaving me a humorous comment.
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Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre: Zach Galafianakis capping off 2+ hours of comedy in a tiny, 75-person venue. Um... yes please!
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Tonight's bus stop entertainment: A full-volume, professional-level operatic vocal performance.
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My first Dodger game as an actual Angeleno. Some fans take division rivalries a bit too seriously...
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Visiting an old lunch spot while in Riverside for a couple days. I miss scenes like these.
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September 2012
It's a good sign you're in the Inland Empire when your friend says something like this: "You know, Danny, you should really come to church with me..."
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The girlfriend informs me of today's conversation with her sister: "So... I saw Danny's comic... He's okay, right? He's not depressed, is he?"
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Happy Labor Day from Downtown Los Angeles!
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Lesson learned at an LA landmark: How to correctly eat Roscoe's chicken and waffles.
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Discussing chopstick techniques over a Little Tokyo dinner with the girlfriend and one of her college friends.
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Off to Ojai for a few days...
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"No, mom, I'm actually in Ojai right now... No, I wasn't home for the VMAs last night... I know, they were just two blocks from me, but I wasn't in town... Sorry... Didn't get to see the red carpet... No Lady Gaga... No Drake... No Taylor Swift... No Chris Brown..."
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A pastrami-sandwich-stop at Brent's Deli in Northridge on the way back into town.
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My second Comic Creator Meetup, held again at Señor Fish outside of the Arts District.
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Thanks to the decaying Salton Sea, all of Riverside suddenly smells like a giant rotting egg. Luckily for me, I don't live there anymore. Downtown LA, on the other hand, smells like it always does: Car Exhaust; Diesel Fumes; Asphalt; (Good) Food; Trash; Sewage; Urine; Cigarette Smoke; Homeless Body Odor; Human Feces; Marijuana; etc... But, it does not smell like a giant rotting egg.
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Walking from the Metro to the UCB Theatre in Hollywood. And for the first time I feel strangely, slightly connected to this giant city.
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A typical, fun-filled work-day Skyping with a web developer...
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The interesting crowds of Downtown Art Walk:
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You know you're in a hip neighborhood like Silverlake when the waitress at a good Vietnamese restaurant dresses like she's headed to Comic-Con.
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Excited to finally live in a city where I can conveniently go see small, limited-release movies only playing at two West Coast theaters.
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Day 100 celebration with visiting family! The only thing missing is helium...
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Standing on the sidelines of a red carpet movie premiere. Apparently, 80% of the "fans" barricaded away from movie stars at these premieres are really people like this. Kinda pathetic. And also kinda creepy.
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Hello Cinerama Dome at Arclight Hollywood... We finally meet.
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A little bit of web-design-overload scores me a headache and this conversation:
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I've made a conscious effort to not turn this comic into a catalog of troubled homeless encounters. But this guy dancing at a Downtown sandwich shop was quite interesting.
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A 25 minute walk in the sun to the new Grand Park to see a space plane strapped on top of a normal plane fly overhead for about ten seconds. Exhilarating.
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One good thing about visiting the Inland Empire? Only a 45 minute drive to beautiful Big Bear for a perfect 70 degree hike.
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The most noteworthy thing about having a major award show like the Emmys just two blocks from home? Walking outside during the show and seeing your street completely lined with waiting limousines.
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Excited that at nearly four months in, I can still find tasty new lunch places within walking distance.
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Sigh... Apparently, they're working on the water... Again...
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Walking around LA can mess with your head:
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Two items on the Downtown to-do list checked off today: 1. Lunch at Grand Central Market; 2. A ride up Angels Flight
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Leaving Southern California just in the nick of time...
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Even in Northern California, Carmageddon was able to hunt us down... and make us pay...
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October 2012
Views from the upper level of the Metrolink train are a bit better than the lower level. Albeit, not by much...
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There's a Justin Bieber concert two blocks from home. How do I know this? Because of the hordes of prepubescent girls screaming outside my window. Literally.
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In my cable-less home, streaming the first Presidential Debate from YouTube/ABC News. Does half of my screen really need to taken up with meaningless Twitter commentary from random people?
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For weeks I've curiously watched crews work on the back of a vacant theater across the street. Today I learn it's opening as a haunted house — created by some big-name horror movie producer. And it's only $35! What a bargain!!
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Walking around LA, I see all sorts of really hot model-types.
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I use my car so infrequently now, it feels like a roll of the dice every time I get in.
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Here's one I don't get to say very often: The President of the United States was one block from home today. This is his motorcade, which I would have seen... If I weren't in Riverside for the weekend.
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A lunchtime chili-overload at Carney's in WeHo.
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I'm a bad-ass and I'm learning Downtown traffic patterns, so I walk wherever and whenever I want.
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There's something ironic about driving from Downtown LA to the Inland Empire to catch a Laker game...
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It's kind of sad that I feel more at home now that a little bit of suburbia has made its way into Downtown.
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Sitting in a café drawing cartoons... And I'm on the clock! Can't beat that.
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Endeavour is crawling through the streets of LA. And I'd probably be there checking it out... If I wasn't in the Inland Empire... again.
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One thing Riverside County is better at than LA County: Creating vote-by-mail ballots that are self-explanatory and don't require a multi-step process just to fill out correctly.
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I'll never look as cool going home with groceries as Downtown Hipsters do.
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Being that I know almost nobody in Downtown, running into a familiar face is always an incredibly welcome surprise.
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New lights in the building stairwell! Great! Now I can clearly see how disgusting it is in here.
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My boss, along with our sales manager, is in town today on business. We have plans to grab dinner or catch the football game somewhere... But he cancels on me... So it doesn't happen.
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Uggh... It's mid-October and it's 90 degrees out here. I need a break. See you later, LA, I'll be back soon.
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Hello, Seattle...
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Flying back into Los Angeles, I'm treated to some gorgeous views of my new home.
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Damn you, Seattle... You got me sick.
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I have a cold... I have work to catch up on... And I have 500+ Seattle photos to filter through. I feel like I barely leave this chair for two days straight.
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Being able to give tourists directions around Downtown makes me feel like I actually belong here.
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To K-Town for drinks... First bar I've ever been to that requires a password. I can't tell if that's kind of cool, or completely ridiculous.
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Late night last night, and all we want is a little extra sleep... But the Rock'n'Roll Marathon seems to have a different idea, with the finish line literally right outside my window.
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My Inland Empire friend was supposed to come hang out with me tonight. But then she bailed. So here I am, alone, eating ice cream. How sad...
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Receive an 11:30pm text message from some Riverside friends:
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Halloween is spent with Mark Z. Danielewski conducting some sort of Avant-garde, conceptual reading/performance/concert/play thing. I still have no idea if I actually enjoyed it. But I know for sure I barely understood it.
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November 2012
Being bailed on (again!) by one Inland Empire friend leads to a big night out Downtown with another Inland Empire friend.
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Back in Riverside for a day, and I have a few run-ins during a quick trip to Starbucks:
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At a Santa Monica bar for a birthday celebration:
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Back in Santa Monica, already 15 minutes late for dinner due to my failure to plan for Westside parking logistics. I eventually find a spot that I am able to very slowly and very tediously wedge my car into. Which means, of course, I am bound to stumble upon this halfway up the block.
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"Gaaahhh!! How'd it get so late!? Oh wait... Time change..."
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Hanging out with a Federal Investigative Services Special Agent, chatting about a high school friend.
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"No, see, I don't just put anybody in the comic... There are two things I'm trying to accomplish every single day: A) Explain something unique about my life in LA now, or B) 2) Make some sort of meta joke about the comic itself. So, like, I know you and I just hung out in Riverside last weekend... but that probably won't cut it. You need to be here, in LA. And since you're moving this weekend, you probably need to get here tomorrow..."
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Walking down Olympic on my way to the movies:
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I broke up with somebody today... and it felt great.
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Back in the IE for the weekend, running the Mission Inn 10K Sunday morning. I still can't quite shake the feeling that I'm home when I'm in Riverside... But maybe that's saying a bit more about who I'm with, rather than where I'm at.
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Since it is only a block away, I walk to the biggest Hollywood event of the season: a giant clusterf*ck spectacle of a movie premiere. I'm really not sure what I expect... But I know almost immediately it is a mistake.
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I'm at the computer pretty much all night making yesterday's crowd-filled Twilight comic.
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At one of my least-frequent "regular" lunch-spots, a small thing happens that takes me by complete surprise. Looks like Downtown LA is slowly becoming home...
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An hour or two at theCalifornia Science Center to see Endeavour reaffirms one thing: Kids are annoying.
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Yet again... Back in Riverside for (part of) the weekend.
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Something that definitely doesn't happen in LA: Out with a group of friends at a Downtown (Riverside) bar, where I have three independent, unexpected encounters:
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Thanksgiving Dinner #1 tonight in Santa Monica. And I become Head Pie-Chef in preparation... Or at least I'd like to think so...
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The public laundry room dilemma: Yes, technically I'm allowed to move clothes that have been sitting in a machine, taking up space... But it still makes me a little uncomfortable...
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I guess I'm not familiar enough with LA to always help out tourists:
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At a Downtown lunch-spot when I notice a sign in the window:
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What I'm most thankful for this Thanksgiving: Real-time online traffic conditions... Because they made my first holiday drive out of Downtown LA an absolute breeze.
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The girlfriend shows up and parks on the street, but forgets the meters are still on for another hour. Here I am not 10 minutes later, rushing down to put money in:
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These are the three distinct categories of males found on the trails of Runyon Canyon:
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Tonight's bus stop entertainment: Two guys on electric guitars playing all the classics.
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Ten-hour work day in front of the computer, then I'm free to spend my time however I want: Reading/Writing Emails; Reading Online Articles; Browsing Facebook; Making Comics in Photoshop; Sorting through Digital Photos... etc...
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Another night with Zach Galafianakis at the final Comedy Bang Bang show...
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Walk across the street to LA Live to see the lighting of a 72-foot Christmas Tree. I briefly look at the tree... Listen to Sarah Brightman for a moment... Then turn around and go back home.
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An empty building directly across the street is temporarily rented out by Honda for some red-carpet corporate party, complete with flashy concept cars on display. Looks like the LA Auto Show has arrived.
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My first day in Downtown that I actually catch a bit of rain while out and about.
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December 2012
Yesterday, in the rain, I had an epiphany: "I need some new clothes." So the girlfriend finally gets her way, and we spend most of the weekend on "New LA Wardrobe: Phase 1 - New Jacket & Jeans"
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After way too much time spent at shopping malls during a December weekend, I finally end up with some new clothes. See the drastic difference:
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I told my sister to make sure she has the baby on a weekend when I'm already in Riverside... Of course, I get the phone call on a Monday morning, barely 12 hours after getting back into LA...
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Right back to the IE so I can meet my niece...
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Spend the evening on a romantic Man-Date... Included are sushi, drinks, and my friend's first visit to UCB Theatre for an improv show:
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Two guys who don't care about cars aren't really ideal recipients of complimentary tickets to the LA Auto Show:
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Unsuccessfully try to get some Christmas shopping done during lunch, and I unexpectedly wind up in Chinatown...
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Using the Metro to avoid holiday shopping traffic... Awesome! The 3-block walk back to my apartment... Not so much!
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Good news! According to Forbes, I live in the 17th "dirtiest city in America"!
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Downtown Art Walk... The Morning After:
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How did I not know about this earlier? Batman Heaven is right by my house!
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Thanks to some drizzly weather and a sore hip, I skip the morning run and am actually able to enjoy a Sunday afternoon in Downtown.
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12:30am: Trying to sleep isn't always easy with this going on just underneath my window:
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Show up to a Wordpress Meetup in Chinatown a little early, expecting to walk around the shops for a bit. Instead... the place is deserted.
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Being able to quickly and conveniently Christmas shop at Staples Center feels a little weird.
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At The Grove, introducing a Spanish friend to the complexities of American "culture."
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In Riverside for the company holiday party, now 6 months after leaving the office to work from home.
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Saturday night alone at home, making sure every Christmas gift is wrapped in my personally branded holiday theme.
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At the first of two Hanukkah celebrations. It's up to a gentile to explain how a White Elephant game works.
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Christmas Eve in the Inland Empire. I forget the Bottega Louie logo won't mean much to somebody who doesn't know Downtown.
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In the San Jacinto Valley for Christmas Day.
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Home after a long holiday weekend. Finally time to sit down and focus on work...
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With the girlfriend's family at Hanukkah celebration #2.
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At The Standard Rooftop Bar with the family.
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R.I.P. Exercise Bike; June, 2009 - December, 2012
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A good sign the final Sunday of the year is also the laziest Sunday of the year: Not even putting on pants until about 6:30pm.
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January 2013
Happy New Year!
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New Year's Day Adventure! What starts as a pleasant hike in the Santa Monica Mountains turns into a bit of a nightmare.
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Instant messaging a co-worker about possibly heading out to visit tomorrow afternoon. I'm not sure if I'm more annoyed or entertained by some people's perceptions of Downtown LA.
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A visitor from the Inland Empire:
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The nightmare hike from three days ago seems to be the gift that just keeps giving! Unbeknownst to me, I had a little run in with some poison oak... in the face. Now even my nice new clothes can't help me look good when I'm in Hollywood for the night.
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After a one month hiatus to tend to an aching hip, it feels great to head out to Griffith Park for a morning run. Too bad I still look like Two-Face.
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It's sometimes a little hard to choose just one moment from the day that will make it into this comic... So, in addition to seeing a bunch of Batman stuff on Night 188, my friend also pissed in a parking lot.
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Walking around Downtown trying to hide my face... I feel like a celebrity in disguise!
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As my face slowly returns to normal... It begins to take over the rest of my body. Resulting in a very pleasant night's sleep.
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Today's UrbanDictionary.com Word of the Day: Oakgasm (The orgasmic feeling one experiences when hot water in the shower first hits the poison oak on your skin.)
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Just me and my friend Jack. Hopefully together we can get through the restless night to come.
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Sometimes it doesn't hurt to get a little perspective on things...
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This is what happens on a weekend run when you feel a slight tickle in the back of your throat, while battling a Poison Oak allergic reaction:
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After a weekend in the Inland Empire, it looks like I'm back in Downtown LA:
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Maintaining my perfect "Gosling-esque" physique is a little difficult with swollen arms and blistered hands.
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An unusual Tuesday drive out to Riverside to spend the evening with a very special birthday girl. Of course, we end up at the only cool gastropub in town.
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After a few days of beautifully crisp and clear blue skies, it's a bit sad to see things go back to normal.
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I don't necessarily enjoy witnessing the defense-less Lakers lose a game... But LeBron is a lot of fun to watch.
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A nice family dinner for the birthday girl at a delicious Mid-City restaurant. (Voted the #1 Best New Restaurant in Los Angeles Magazine!)
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Meeting up with one of the girlfriend's friends after my first UCLA basketball game.
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I figured it would happen eventually: "Dammit... I think that's a little cockroach."
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Leaving Downtown to spend all day Tuesday in the Inland Empire.
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It's been a long time since I've spent an entire day playing video games.
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Yet to buy a new exercise bike, I've been forced to use my building's gym. I love that we only have one treadmill.
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I notice three young, attractive, professional women sitting across from me during lunch. What might they be discussing? Business proposals? Office gossip? Manti Te'o? Sex and the City reruns? Nope. CGI. It's a detailed conversation about computer animation. That was unexpected.
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My first trip to Juicy Lucy: A giant hamburger filled with gooey cheese, accompanied by a side order of deliciously greasy french fries. Don't worry, I kept it healthy: I ordered a Diet Coke.
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Yesterday (a Friday) I sent a Juicy Lucy photo to an IE friend who I knew would appreciate some food porn. Today (a Saturday), I got this text: "No lie: I just drove to LA for Juicy Lucy. Turns out its only open Mon-Fri. I hate you."
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Maybe it's something I ate? Or maybe a stomach bug? Either way, today is both uncomfortable and unproductive.
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As far as health issues are concerned, I've definitely had better months than January, 2013.
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The girlfriend tells me that as of February 1st, I will have used up all of my health-related sympathy for 2013. So here I am on the couch with a book, trying to rest up. (While also eating ice cream.)
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On my way home from lunch, I end up waiting at a stop light with this guy. I then proceed to follow him across the street, down the block, into my building, across the lobby, into the elevator, out onto the fourth floor, down the hall, and to his front door. Because, apparently, he lives two doors down from me. I wonder if he found that whole process as strange as I did?
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Today's elevator conversation: Does this make me a cool, anti-technology hipster? Or just really uncool?
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February 2013
Jesus... How did I just spend $20 on lunch??
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When in LA, I try to take the girlfriend to critically-acclaimed, interesting and/or artsy movies. When in Riverside, she takes me to bad kids' movies.
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At a Redlands bar for the Superbowl.
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Mondays often seem extra uneventful, as I usually end up eating lunch at home after a quick trip to the grocery store.
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Uggh... I feel like a web design zombie today.
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Unexpected moment of the day: Showing up to a regular lunch spot and finding a live DJ in the middle of a set.
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When I moved to Downtown LA, I expected I'd probably be a bit closer to the violence and bloodshed that often dominate our news headlines.
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On a table with a "gourmet" burger and french fries, who would've thought brussel sprouts would be the highlight of the night??
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A night at Downtown's Millennium Biltmore during Grammy weekend:
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Oh good... The giant blank wall across the street has been turned into a flashing advertisement for Grammy night. I'm glad I won't be home tonight.
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Lunch spot number two I can consider myself an official "regular" at.
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Today, for whatever reason, I take particular note of the tarp-covered Wilshire Grand; future site of the West Coast's tallest skyscraper.
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Downtown Inconvenience: It takes 5+ minutes to get to my car just to check if I left something in it.
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Out to the Inland Empire for an extended Valentine's weekend.
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Unabashed racism in the Hemet/San Jacinto Valley. I'm embarrassed for my hometown at how common an occurance this is...
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Lazy day in Riverside.
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Trying to work up to a half-marathon, I surprise myself and somehow run 9.5 miles.
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Ugghh... Mondays after long weekends are the worst.
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During lunch I notice a helicopter hovering over some buildings a few blocks away. Turns out there was a body discovered in a water tank on top of a Downtown hotel. And yes... the tank held the hotel's water supply used for drinking and bathing.
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Heading to the Sunset Strip to catch an up and coming local band is a good way to feel a bit more connected to the city.
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I'm a bit disappointed with yesterday's cartoon about my trip to the Roxy. There's so much more I want to include! ...But I just don't have the time... So let me just say this about the extravagant, theatrical, borderline-creepy, 9-person stage setup playing abrasive steampunk alt-rock that I witnessed last night: Weird shit.
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When Downtown streets are particularly congested, it isn't abnormal to keep the same pace as traffic while walking down the street. Which is awful if you're walking alongside a bus with bad brakes...
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At times, a city of nearly 4 million can seem surprisingly small... And other times, it doesn't.
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Due to an unexpectedly steep and narrow trail, today's afternoon hike to the Hollywood Sign doesn't go exactly as planned.
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I'm honestly not sure if this is an LA thing or not:
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Oh good... the water bill is here. Due to my three 30-minute showers a day throughout most of January (thanks, Poison Oak!), I haven't really been looking forward to this moment.
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Realization of the day: My one-time view of the Hollywood Hills is now gone thanks to a forthcoming 23-story Marriott.
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With a night to myself, I decide to head to the bookstore to read for a bit. Unbeknownst to me, there is a performance scheduled for the evening. So, not even 10 minutes later... I'm surrounded by hipsters.
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March 2013
While visiting the office on a Friday afternoon, I discover a downside to working from home: Apparently it is now acceptable to play basketball for a couple of hours in the middle of the work day.
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Ugghh... I may be able to run 10 miles, but my body is not used to a few games of basketball...
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The best way to spoil a perfectly good morning run? Getting a couple miles out before realizing last night's rich, cheesy dinner is knocking on the door, and wants out immediately.
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Watching Portlandia while eating quinoa for dinner. Indisputable proof that Downtown is slowly turning me into a hipster.
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Election Day 2013: It's quite convenient when my polling place is on my way to a normal lunch spot just a couple blocks from home.
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Lunchtime entertainment!
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My co-worker makes his standard first Thursday of the month visit. Christ, he's old and frail.
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New to Downtown: Sprinkles Cupcakes! Next time, I should probably show up a bit earlier than ten minutes before closing.
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How on earth is it already time to start exploring new neighborhoods for when this year in Downtown comes to a close?
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Still working my way up to a half marathon... My body isn't quite accustomed to ten mile runs yet.
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A quick trip to Buena Park to meet up with some visiting friends:
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I guess this is what it looks like when somebody ten floors up leaves a stack of papers next to their open, screen-less window.
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I'm glad I've gotten used to all of the uneven sidewalks around Downtown...
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"And yet... I choose to stay at home and watch the last episode of House of Cards."
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Sometimes being the best conditioned player on the court doesn't mean much.
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Stay classy, Riverside.
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St. Patrick's Day in the Inland Empire.
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There's nothing more maddening to a web designer working from home than unexpected internet issues...
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At a web design presentation covering all sorts of social media trends, tools and tips... And what is my biggest takeaway? I like free pizza.
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Although I have family only 10 minutes outside of Downtown, this is only the second time we've met up since moving in. Can't say I blame them...
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Ten months living in Downtown, and this is my first haircut in Los Angeles.
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Taking the Metrolink to Riverside...
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Heading to the theatre in Culver City to catch an experimental play including a futuristic online world, consequence-free virtual realms, digital detective agencies, and, of course... Pedophilia.
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Oh, Downtown LA: I just ran 12 miles. I'm tired. I'm starving. All I want is to pick up lunch and get home...
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Something learned on the first day of Passover: Apparently you can buy playful masks depicting the Ten Biblical Plagues. ...Interesting...
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Heading to Hollywood for some beers with a friend is not a bad way to spend a Tuesday afternoon. And heading back to Hollywood for a comedy show is not a bad way to spend a Tuesday night.
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Being able to do lunch with the girlfriend on a Wednesday afternoon is quite the treat.
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Walking to lunch today at FigAt7th (Dowtown's newest shopping/lunch hub), I realize something is missing... Until last week, there'd always been a super friendly homeless guy sitting outside of the shopping center. With the place's popularity seemingly growing by the week, his recent absence makes me think that the Powers That Be might have "asked" him to move along...Which is a little sad...
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Hmmm... I guess I spoke too soon. Maybe yesterday was his day off?
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Passover Seder #2:
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In honor of Zombie-Jesus-Day, I bring home dinner and watch The Walking Dead.
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April 2013
Spend the first night in April...
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I had nothing to write about today, so I thought I'd introduce you to the guy on his lunch break that I often pass outside of my apartment:
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I just realized: I need stamps. I also just realized: I've needed stamps ever since moving here. Which means: It's been ten months since I've sent anything in the mail. Is that some sort of record?
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It's 4 days after Easter. I've had a few beers. And I'm in an overstocked Downtown Target. Bad idea.
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Exactly two years ago:
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Reliving my childhood in IMAX 3-D... Has it really been twenty years??
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I can't get enough George Saunders!
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Things I am invited to tonight: 1) Dinner in Santa Monica! 2) A free movie in Glendale! I predictably decline both.
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Ugghh... I feel disgusting... Must. Stop. Eating. Easter Candy...
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My sister calls to let me know she's found out about Jerry Seinfeld making an "unannounced" stop at an LA comedy club tonight...
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In what appears to be the norm, Downtown Art Walk is much more about alcohol than it is art.
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He isn't lying... Undoubtedly the most amazingly delicious meal I've had in Downtown.
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The girlfriend has way more interesting friends than I do.
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Going on a 13 mile run in a park around noon can be pretty rough...
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Hyperbolic reporting isn't appreciated when I have family who may be directly affected...
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Pleasant Downtown walk during lunch today...
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Awkward moment of the day:
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Mendocino Farms makes my taste buds so happy...
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Walking down streets being prepped for film shoots can be a little disorienting:
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Blatant public drug use in Downtown is actually not just limited to "holidays" like today...
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Apparently we've hopped on the Metro along with all of the CicLAvia riders...
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Strange sighting of the day: Police escorting a racecar past my apartment...
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Things learned in LA: How scenes are filmed inside of a "moving" vehicle.
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Apparently my screenless window let a bee in yesterday, and I had no idea until this morning.
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At 11:30 at night, busses don't run all that frequently. Which means you may end up running 3 blocks to ensure your friend doesn't have to wait an extra half hour to get home.
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I honestly don't think my car has been washed since moving to LA.
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At my Grandmother's house in Riverside, admiring her wall of photos devoted to my time in Downtown.
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I definitely don't have to worry about any celebratory riots this year...
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Wish me luck...
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More of the girlfriend trying to mold me into a cooler boyfriend...
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May 2013
At a web design Meetup in Hollywood...
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Pretend sports fans in Downtown LA:
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It's Friday night at 6:00pm: I'm all packed and ready to leave town for the weekend. But I'd be an idiot to get on the road now. So I have to find some way to keep myself busy for the next hour and a half.
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An afternoon hike in Riverside:
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It's sad that Riverside gives me easier Trader Joe's access than Downtown LA.
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What a difference a couple of days makes...
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Tattoo designs for friends are always a blast!
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"Seriously. How the F#@% am I supposed to make this butterfly look manly!!??"
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We're down to ONE MONTH! 31 more comics to go!
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What's good: It's Friday night, and I'm off to a concert that I'm excited about. What's better: The concert is only one block away. What's not so good: Drinks at Club Nokia aren't incredibly cost-effective.
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Street closures due to filming can make Downtown living a ton of fun...
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It's Mother's Day! And my mom is about to find out that my youngest sister has unexpectedly driven in from Fresno.
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Stopping for coffee near the Fashion Institute with my sister and her friend:
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A nice person said this about my comic today: "It's the perfect representation of life in LA-- frustrating, weird and amazing, often all at once." So in celebration, I have one of the most predictably boring days imaginable.
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Having to take an elevator back to my apartment after working out can make me feel a little bad.
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Rushed projects, looming deadlines, and 11-hour work days are going to give me an anxiety attack...
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Easing my parents into my chic, cool, trendsetting lifestyle by taking them out to a Riverside gastropub.
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I've been gone for almost an entire year, but I'm still King of Riverside.
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How should I spend my Sunday morning in Riverside? Running Mt. Rubidoux? Eating a delicious breakfast with the girlfriend? Nope... I'll spend it waiting around the ER making sure I'm not about to have a heart attack.
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This is me successfully overcoming anxiety so I can get a good night's sleep:
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I have my first half marathon to run in just over one month... This is what it will look like if I can't get back to exercising soon:
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Today's Downtown lesson learned: You can't judge a book by its cover.
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Spend the evening at The Grove with my parents, who are in town for a celebrity book signing.
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A forthcoming hi-rise creates a slightly uncomfortable moment during my walk to the Metro.
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An impromptu shopping trip gets me ready for what will be a much more fashionable summer.
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Today's Inland Empire treat: Dinner with friends at the "Best Sports Bar" in the High Desert!!
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"I think today's comic is going to be about how today is my last time in Riverside."
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Well... Here we are. The final stretch. I guess it's about time to start wrapping this thing up. So over the next few days, I'm going to take some time to kind of sum up some of the broader themes and changes I've seen in both Downtown and myself over the past year. Plus, nothing exciting happened today.
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Sorry DTLA, not everything goes exactly as planned...
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Good job, DTLA! This stuff seems to be working out...
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A couple of things on the horizon for DTLA....
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June 2013
A convenient Los Angeles wedding...
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I decide on something a little different this weekend: An urban run through the streets of Downtown...
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The easy, superficial accomplishments from the past year...
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For as much as I took in about the urban landscape of Los Angeles, I did very little to plant any personal roots in the city.
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The most important thing I've learned this past year:
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What year 31 holds in store...
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There may be a couple more comics left, but my 30th year is technically over. I am now 31. With the girlfriend out of town, a buddy and I decide to walk the 3 miles to Dodger Stadium to catch a game.
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When I was first planning my move to LA, I was seriously considering the neighborhood immediately surrounding Hollywood & Highland. After a year in Downtown, and just a few hours on tourist-crazed Hollywood Boulevard with friends tonight, I am so glad I didn't move there.
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One year ago today, I moved into a studio apartment in Downtown Los Angeles. This has been my 30th Year.
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June 2013
One year ago today, I moved into a studio apartment in Downtown Los Angeles. This has been my 30th Year.
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When I was first planning my move to LA, I was seriously considering the neighborhood immediately surrounding Hollywood & Highland. After a year in Downtown, and just a few hours on tourist-crazed Hollywood Boulevard with friends tonight, I am so glad I didn't move there.
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There may be a couple more comics left, but my 30th year is technically over. I am now 31. With the girlfriend out of town, a buddy and I decide to walk the 3 miles to Dodger Stadium to catch a game.
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What year 31 holds in store...
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The most important thing I've learned this past year:
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For as much as I took in about the urban landscape of Los Angeles, I did very little to plant any personal roots in the city.
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The easy, superficial accomplishments from the past year...
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I decide on something a little different this weekend: An urban run through the streets of Downtown...
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A convenient Los Angeles wedding...
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May 2013
A couple of things on the horizon for DTLA....
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Good job, DTLA! This stuff seems to be working out...
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Sorry DTLA, not everything goes exactly as planned...
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Well... Here we are. The final stretch. I guess it's about time to start wrapping this thing up. So over the next few days, I'm going to take some time to kind of sum up some of the broader themes and changes I've seen in both Downtown and myself over the past year. Plus, nothing exciting happened today.
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"I think today's comic is going to be about how today is my last time in Riverside."
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Today's Inland Empire treat: Dinner with friends at the "Best Sports Bar" in the High Desert!!
Share/Comment
An impromptu shopping trip gets me ready for what will be a much more fashionable summer.
Share/Comment
A forthcoming hi-rise creates a slightly uncomfortable moment during my walk to the Metro.
Share/Comment
Spend the evening at The Grove with my parents, who are in town for a celebrity book signing.
Share/Comment
Today's Downtown lesson learned: You can't judge a book by its cover.
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I have my first half marathon to run in just over one month... This is what it will look like if I can't get back to exercising soon:
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This is me successfully overcoming anxiety so I can get a good night's sleep:
Share/Comment
How should I spend my Sunday morning in Riverside? Running Mt. Rubidoux? Eating a delicious breakfast with the girlfriend? Nope... I'll spend it waiting around the ER making sure I'm not about to have a heart attack.
Share/Comment
I've been gone for almost an entire year, but I'm still King of Riverside.
Share/Comment
Easing my parents into my chic, cool, trendsetting lifestyle by taking them out to a Riverside gastropub.
Share/Comment
Rushed projects, looming deadlines, and 11-hour work days are going to give me an anxiety attack...
Share/Comment
Having to take an elevator back to my apartment after working out can make me feel a little bad.
Share/Comment
A nice person said this about my comic today: "It's the perfect representation of life in LA-- frustrating, weird and amazing, often all at once." So in celebration, I have one of the most predictably boring days imaginable.
Share/Comment
Stopping for coffee near the Fashion Institute with my sister and her friend:
Share/Comment
It's Mother's Day! And my mom is about to find out that my youngest sister has unexpectedly driven in from Fresno.
Share/Comment
Street closures due to filming can make Downtown living a ton of fun...
Share/Comment
What's good: It's Friday night, and I'm off to a concert that I'm excited about. What's better: The concert is only one block away. What's not so good: Drinks at Club Nokia aren't incredibly cost-effective.
Share/Comment
We're down to ONE MONTH! 31 more comics to go!
Share/Comment
"Seriously. How the F#@% am I supposed to make this butterfly look manly!!??"
Share/Comment
Tattoo designs for friends are always a blast!
Share/Comment
What a difference a couple of days makes...
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It's sad that Riverside gives me easier Trader Joe's access than Downtown LA.
Share/Comment
An afternoon hike in Riverside:
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It's Friday night at 6:00pm: I'm all packed and ready to leave town for the weekend. But I'd be an idiot to get on the road now. So I have to find some way to keep myself busy for the next hour and a half.
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Pretend sports fans in Downtown LA:
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At a web design Meetup in Hollywood...
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April 2013
More of the girlfriend trying to mold me into a cooler boyfriend...
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Wish me luck...
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I definitely don't have to worry about any celebratory riots this year...
Share/Comment
At my Grandmother's house in Riverside, admiring her wall of photos devoted to my time in Downtown.
Share/Comment
I honestly don't think my car has been washed since moving to LA.
Share/Comment
At 11:30 at night, busses don't run all that frequently. Which means you may end up running 3 blocks to ensure your friend doesn't have to wait an extra half hour to get home.
Share/Comment
Apparently my screenless window let a bee in yesterday, and I had no idea until this morning.
Share/Comment
Things learned in LA: How scenes are filmed inside of a "moving" vehicle.
Share/Comment
Strange sighting of the day: Police escorting a racecar past my apartment...
Share/Comment
Apparently we've hopped on the Metro along with all of the CicLAvia riders...
Share/Comment
Blatant public drug use in Downtown is actually not just limited to "holidays" like today...
Share/Comment
Walking down streets being prepped for film shoots can be a little disorienting:
Share/Comment
Mendocino Farms makes my taste buds so happy...
Share/Comment
Awkward moment of the day:
Share/Comment
Pleasant Downtown walk during lunch today...
Share/Comment
Hyperbolic reporting isn't appreciated when I have family who may be directly affected...
Share/Comment
Going on a 13 mile run in a park around noon can be pretty rough...
Share/Comment
The girlfriend has way more interesting friends than I do.
Share/Comment
He isn't lying... Undoubtedly the most amazingly delicious meal I've had in Downtown.
Share/Comment
In what appears to be the norm, Downtown Art Walk is much more about alcohol than it is art.
Share/Comment
My sister calls to let me know she's found out about Jerry Seinfeld making an "unannounced" stop at an LA comedy club tonight...
Share/Comment
Ugghh... I feel disgusting... Must. Stop. Eating. Easter Candy...
Share/Comment
Things I am invited to tonight: 1) Dinner in Santa Monica! 2) A free movie in Glendale! I predictably decline both.
Share/Comment
I can't get enough George Saunders!
Share/Comment
Reliving my childhood in IMAX 3-D... Has it really been twenty years??
Share/Comment
Exactly two years ago:
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It's 4 days after Easter. I've had a few beers. And I'm in an overstocked Downtown Target. Bad idea.
Share/Comment
I just realized: I need stamps. I also just realized: I've needed stamps ever since moving here. Which means: It's been ten months since I've sent anything in the mail. Is that some sort of record?
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I had nothing to write about today, so I thought I'd introduce you to the guy on his lunch break that I often pass outside of my apartment:
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Spend the first night in April...
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March 2013
In honor of Zombie-Jesus-Day, I bring home dinner and watch The Walking Dead.
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Passover Seder #2:
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Hmmm... I guess I spoke too soon. Maybe yesterday was his day off?
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Walking to lunch today at FigAt7th (Dowtown's newest shopping/lunch hub), I realize something is missing... Until last week, there'd always been a super friendly homeless guy sitting outside of the shopping center. With the place's popularity seemingly growing by the week, his recent absence makes me think that the Powers That Be might have "asked" him to move along...Which is a little sad...
Share/Comment
Being able to do lunch with the girlfriend on a Wednesday afternoon is quite the treat.
Share/Comment
Heading to Hollywood for some beers with a friend is not a bad way to spend a Tuesday afternoon. And heading back to Hollywood for a comedy show is not a bad way to spend a Tuesday night.
Share/Comment
Something learned on the first day of Passover: Apparently you can buy playful masks depicting the Ten Biblical Plagues. ...Interesting...
Share/Comment
Oh, Downtown LA: I just ran 12 miles. I'm tired. I'm starving. All I want is to pick up lunch and get home...
Share/Comment
Heading to the theatre in Culver City to catch an experimental play including a futuristic online world, consequence-free virtual realms, digital detective agencies, and, of course... Pedophilia.
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Taking the Metrolink to Riverside...
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Ten months living in Downtown, and this is my first haircut in Los Angeles.
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Although I have family only 10 minutes outside of Downtown, this is only the second time we've met up since moving in. Can't say I blame them...
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At a web design presentation covering all sorts of social media trends, tools and tips... And what is my biggest takeaway? I like free pizza.
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There's nothing more maddening to a web designer working from home than unexpected internet issues...
Share/Comment
St. Patrick's Day in the Inland Empire.
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Stay classy, Riverside.
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Sometimes being the best conditioned player on the court doesn't mean much.
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"And yet... I choose to stay at home and watch the last episode of House of Cards."
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I'm glad I've gotten used to all of the uneven sidewalks around Downtown...
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I guess this is what it looks like when somebody ten floors up leaves a stack of papers next to their open, screen-less window.
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A quick trip to Buena Park to meet up with some visiting friends:
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Still working my way up to a half marathon... My body isn't quite accustomed to ten mile runs yet.
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How on earth is it already time to start exploring new neighborhoods for when this year in Downtown comes to a close?
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New to Downtown: Sprinkles Cupcakes! Next time, I should probably show up a bit earlier than ten minutes before closing.
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My co-worker makes his standard first Thursday of the month visit. Christ, he's old and frail.
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Lunchtime entertainment!
Share/Comment
Election Day 2013: It's quite convenient when my polling place is on my way to a normal lunch spot just a couple blocks from home.
Share/Comment
Watching Portlandia while eating quinoa for dinner. Indisputable proof that Downtown is slowly turning me into a hipster.
Share/Comment
The best way to spoil a perfectly good morning run? Getting a couple miles out before realizing last night's rich, cheesy dinner is knocking on the door, and wants out immediately.
Share/Comment
Ugghh... I may be able to run 10 miles, but my body is not used to a few games of basketball...
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While visiting the office on a Friday afternoon, I discover a downside to working from home: Apparently it is now acceptable to play basketball for a couple of hours in the middle of the work day.
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February 2013
With a night to myself, I decide to head to the bookstore to read for a bit. Unbeknownst to me, there is a performance scheduled for the evening. So, not even 10 minutes later... I'm surrounded by hipsters.
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Realization of the day: My one-time view of the Hollywood Hills is now gone thanks to a forthcoming 23-story Marriott.
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Oh good... the water bill is here. Due to my three 30-minute showers a day throughout most of January (thanks, Poison Oak!), I haven't really been looking forward to this moment.
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I'm honestly not sure if this is an LA thing or not:
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Due to an unexpectedly steep and narrow trail, today's afternoon hike to the Hollywood Sign doesn't go exactly as planned.
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At times, a city of nearly 4 million can seem surprisingly small... And other times, it doesn't.
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When Downtown streets are particularly congested, it isn't abnormal to keep the same pace as traffic while walking down the street. Which is awful if you're walking alongside a bus with bad brakes...
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I'm a bit disappointed with yesterday's cartoon about my trip to the Roxy. There's so much more I want to include! ...But I just don't have the time... So let me just say this about the extravagant, theatrical, borderline-creepy, 9-person stage setup playing abrasive steampunk alt-rock that I witnessed last night: Weird shit.
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Heading to the Sunset Strip to catch an up and coming local band is a good way to feel a bit more connected to the city.
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During lunch I notice a helicopter hovering over some buildings a few blocks away. Turns out there was a body discovered in a water tank on top of a Downtown hotel. And yes... the tank held the hotel's water supply used for drinking and bathing.
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Ugghh... Mondays after long weekends are the worst.
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Trying to work up to a half-marathon, I surprise myself and somehow run 9.5 miles.
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Lazy day in Riverside.
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Unabashed racism in the Hemet/San Jacinto Valley. I'm embarrassed for my hometown at how common an occurance this is...
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Out to the Inland Empire for an extended Valentine's weekend.
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Downtown Inconvenience: It takes 5+ minutes to get to my car just to check if I left something in it.
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Today, for whatever reason, I take particular note of the tarp-covered Wilshire Grand; future site of the West Coast's tallest skyscraper.
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Lunch spot number two I can consider myself an official "regular" at.
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Oh good... The giant blank wall across the street has been turned into a flashing advertisement for Grammy night. I'm glad I won't be home tonight.
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A night at Downtown's Millennium Biltmore during Grammy weekend:
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On a table with a "gourmet" burger and french fries, who would've thought brussel sprouts would be the highlight of the night??
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When I moved to Downtown LA, I expected I'd probably be a bit closer to the violence and bloodshed that often dominate our news headlines.
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Unexpected moment of the day: Showing up to a regular lunch spot and finding a live DJ in the middle of a set.
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Uggh... I feel like a web design zombie today.
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Mondays often seem extra uneventful, as I usually end up eating lunch at home after a quick trip to the grocery store.
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At a Redlands bar for the Superbowl.
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When in LA, I try to take the girlfriend to critically-acclaimed, interesting and/or artsy movies. When in Riverside, she takes me to bad kids' movies.
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Jesus... How did I just spend $20 on lunch??
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January 2013
Today's elevator conversation: Does this make me a cool, anti-technology hipster? Or just really uncool?
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On my way home from lunch, I end up waiting at a stop light with this guy. I then proceed to follow him across the street, down the block, into my building, across the lobby, into the elevator, out onto the fourth floor, down the hall, and to his front door. Because, apparently, he lives two doors down from me. I wonder if he found that whole process as strange as I did?
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The girlfriend tells me that as of February 1st, I will have used up all of my health-related sympathy for 2013. So here I am on the couch with a book, trying to rest up. (While also eating ice cream.)
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As far as health issues are concerned, I've definitely had better months than January, 2013.
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Maybe it's something I ate? Or maybe a stomach bug? Either way, today is both uncomfortable and unproductive.
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Yesterday (a Friday) I sent a Juicy Lucy photo to an IE friend who I knew would appreciate some food porn. Today (a Saturday), I got this text: "No lie: I just drove to LA for Juicy Lucy. Turns out its only open Mon-Fri. I hate you."
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My first trip to Juicy Lucy: A giant hamburger filled with gooey cheese, accompanied by a side order of deliciously greasy french fries. Don't worry, I kept it healthy: I ordered a Diet Coke.
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I notice three young, attractive, professional women sitting across from me during lunch. What might they be discussing? Business proposals? Office gossip? Manti Te'o? Sex and the City reruns? Nope. CGI. It's a detailed conversation about computer animation. That was unexpected.
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Yet to buy a new exercise bike, I've been forced to use my building's gym. I love that we only have one treadmill.
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It's been a long time since I've spent an entire day playing video games.
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Leaving Downtown to spend all day Tuesday in the Inland Empire.
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I figured it would happen eventually: "Dammit... I think that's a little cockroach."
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Meeting up with one of the girlfriend's friends after my first UCLA basketball game.
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A nice family dinner for the birthday girl at a delicious Mid-City restaurant. (Voted the #1 Best New Restaurant in Los Angeles Magazine!)
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I don't necessarily enjoy witnessing the defense-less Lakers lose a game... But LeBron is a lot of fun to watch.
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After a few days of beautifully crisp and clear blue skies, it's a bit sad to see things go back to normal.
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An unusual Tuesday drive out to Riverside to spend the evening with a very special birthday girl. Of course, we end up at the only cool gastropub in town.
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Maintaining my perfect "Gosling-esque" physique is a little difficult with swollen arms and blistered hands.
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After a weekend in the Inland Empire, it looks like I'm back in Downtown LA:
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This is what happens on a weekend run when you feel a slight tickle in the back of your throat, while battling a Poison Oak allergic reaction:
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Sometimes it doesn't hurt to get a little perspective on things...
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Just me and my friend Jack. Hopefully together we can get through the restless night to come.
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Today's UrbanDictionary.com Word of the Day: Oakgasm (The orgasmic feeling one experiences when hot water in the shower first hits the poison oak on your skin.)
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As my face slowly returns to normal... It begins to take over the rest of my body. Resulting in a very pleasant night's sleep.
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Walking around Downtown trying to hide my face... I feel like a celebrity in disguise!
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It's sometimes a little hard to choose just one moment from the day that will make it into this comic... So, in addition to seeing a bunch of Batman stuff on Night 188, my friend also pissed in a parking lot.
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After a one month hiatus to tend to an aching hip, it feels great to head out to Griffith Park for a morning run. Too bad I still look like Two-Face.
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The nightmare hike from three days ago seems to be the gift that just keeps giving! Unbeknownst to me, I had a little run in with some poison oak... in the face. Now even my nice new clothes can't help me look good when I'm in Hollywood for the night.
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A visitor from the Inland Empire:
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Instant messaging a co-worker about possibly heading out to visit tomorrow afternoon. I'm not sure if I'm more annoyed or entertained by some people's perceptions of Downtown LA.
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New Year's Day Adventure! What starts as a pleasant hike in the Santa Monica Mountains turns into a bit of a nightmare.
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Happy New Year!
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December 2012
A good sign the final Sunday of the year is also the laziest Sunday of the year: Not even putting on pants until about 6:30pm.
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R.I.P. Exercise Bike; June, 2009 - December, 2012
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At The Standard Rooftop Bar with the family.
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With the girlfriend's family at Hanukkah celebration #2.
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Home after a long holiday weekend. Finally time to sit down and focus on work...
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In the San Jacinto Valley for Christmas Day.
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Christmas Eve in the Inland Empire. I forget the Bottega Louie logo won't mean much to somebody who doesn't know Downtown.
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At the first of two Hanukkah celebrations. It's up to a gentile to explain how a White Elephant game works.
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Saturday night alone at home, making sure every Christmas gift is wrapped in my personally branded holiday theme.
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In Riverside for the company holiday party, now 6 months after leaving the office to work from home.
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At The Grove, introducing a Spanish friend to the complexities of American "culture."
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Being able to quickly and conveniently Christmas shop at Staples Center feels a little weird.
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Show up to a Wordpress Meetup in Chinatown a little early, expecting to walk around the shops for a bit. Instead... the place is deserted.
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12:30am: Trying to sleep isn't always easy with this going on just underneath my window:
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Thanks to some drizzly weather and a sore hip, I skip the morning run and am actually able to enjoy a Sunday afternoon in Downtown.
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An unexpected history lesson while walking to a bar on Wilshire:
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Downtown Art Walk... The Morning After:
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How did I not know about this earlier? Batman Heaven is right by my house!
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Good news! According to Forbes, I live in the 17th "dirtiest city in America"!
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Using the Metro to avoid holiday shopping traffic... Awesome! The 3-block walk back to my apartment... Not so much!
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Unsuccessfully try to get some Christmas shopping done during lunch, and I unexpectedly wind up in Chinatown...
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It's been 6 months in Downtown LA!! That's 179 comics in 184 days! (A 97.3% completion rate!) And what better place to celebrate than... Riverside??
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After all the time spent shopping for clothes last weekend, it's fairly easy to make my night: "By the way, that's a really nice jacket, Danny..."
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Under strict orders from the girlfriend to eliminate wardrobe that is now too big, I walk three blocks through Downtown with a trashbag full of clothes to donate:
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Two guys who don't care about cars aren't really ideal recipients of complimentary tickets to the LA Auto Show:
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Spend the evening on a romantic Man-Date... Included are sushi, drinks, and my friend's first visit to UCB Theatre for an improv show:
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Right back to the IE so I can meet my niece...
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I told my sister to make sure she has the baby on a weekend when I'm already in Riverside... Of course, I get the phone call on a Monday morning, barely 12 hours after getting back into LA...
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After way too much time spent at shopping malls during a December weekend, I finally end up with some new clothes. See the drastic difference:
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Yesterday, in the rain, I had an epiphany: "I need some new clothes." So the girlfriend finally gets her way, and we spend most of the weekend on "New LA Wardrobe: Phase 1 - New Jacket & Jeans"
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November 2012
My first day in Downtown that I actually catch a bit of rain while out and about.
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An empty building directly across the street is temporarily rented out by Honda for some red-carpet corporate party, complete with flashy concept cars on display. Looks like the LA Auto Show has arrived.
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Walk across the street to LA Live to see the lighting of a 72-foot Christmas Tree. I briefly look at the tree... Listen to Sarah Brightman for a moment... Then turn around and go back home.
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Another night with Zach Galafianakis at the final Comedy Bang Bang show...
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Ten-hour work day in front of the computer, then I'm free to spend my time however I want: Reading/Writing Emails; Reading Online Articles; Browsing Facebook; Making Comics in Photoshop; Sorting through Digital Photos... etc...
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Tonight's bus stop entertainment: Two guys on electric guitars playing all the classics.
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These are the three distinct categories of males found on the trails of Runyon Canyon:
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The girlfriend shows up and parks on the street, but forgets the meters are still on for another hour. Here I am not 10 minutes later, rushing down to put money in:
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What I'm most thankful for this Thanksgiving: Real-time online traffic conditions... Because they made my first holiday drive out of Downtown LA an absolute breeze.
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At a Downtown lunch-spot when I notice a sign in the window:
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I guess I'm not familiar enough with LA to always help out tourists:
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The public laundry room dilemma: Yes, technically I'm allowed to move clothes that have been sitting in a machine, taking up space... But it still makes me a little uncomfortable...
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Thanksgiving Dinner #1 tonight in Santa Monica. And I become Head Pie-Chef in preparation... Or at least I'd like to think so...
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Something that definitely doesn't happen in LA: Out with a group of friends at a Downtown (Riverside) bar, where I have three independent, unexpected encounters:
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Yet again... Back in Riverside for (part of) the weekend.
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An hour or two at theCalifornia Science Center to see Endeavour reaffirms one thing: Kids are annoying.
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At one of my least-frequent "regular" lunch-spots, a small thing happens that takes me by complete surprise. Looks like Downtown LA is slowly becoming home...
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I'm at the computer pretty much all night making yesterday's crowd-filled Twilight comic.
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Since it is only a block away, I walk to the biggest Hollywood event of the season: a giant clusterf*ck spectacle of a movie premiere. I'm really not sure what I expect... But I know almost immediately it is a mistake.
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Back in the IE for the weekend, running the Mission Inn 10K Sunday morning. I still can't quite shake the feeling that I'm home when I'm in Riverside... But maybe that's saying a bit more about who I'm with, rather than where I'm at.
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I broke up with somebody today... and it felt great.
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Walking down Olympic on my way to the movies:
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"No, see, I don't just put anybody in the comic... There are two things I'm trying to accomplish every single day: A) Explain something unique about my life in LA now, or B) 2) Make some sort of meta joke about the comic itself. So, like, I know you and I just hung out in Riverside last weekend... but that probably won't cut it. You need to be here, in LA. And since you're moving this weekend, you probably need to get here tomorrow..."
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Hanging out with a Federal Investigative Services Special Agent, chatting about a high school friend.
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"Gaaahhh!! How'd it get so late!? Oh wait... Time change..."
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Back in Santa Monica, already 15 minutes late for dinner due to my failure to plan for Westside parking logistics. I eventually find a spot that I am able to very slowly and very tediously wedge my car into. Which means, of course, I am bound to stumble upon this halfway up the block.
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At a Santa Monica bar for a birthday celebration:
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Back in Riverside for a day, and I have a few run-ins during a quick trip to Starbucks:
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Being bailed on (again!) by one Inland Empire friend leads to a big night out Downtown with another Inland Empire friend.
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October 2012
Halloween is spent with Mark Z. Danielewski conducting some sort of Avant-garde, conceptual reading/performance/concert/play thing. I still have no idea if I actually enjoyed it. But I know for sure I barely understood it.
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Receive an 11:30pm text message from some Riverside friends:
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My Inland Empire friend was supposed to come hang out with me tonight. But then she bailed. So here I am, alone, eating ice cream. How sad...
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Late night last night, and all we want is a little extra sleep... But the Rock'n'Roll Marathon seems to have a different idea, with the finish line literally right outside my window.
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To K-Town for drinks... First bar I've ever been to that requires a password. I can't tell if that's kind of cool, or completely ridiculous.
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Being able to give tourists directions around Downtown makes me feel like I actually belong here.
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I have a cold... I have work to catch up on... And I have 500+ Seattle photos to filter through. I feel like I barely leave this chair for two days straight.
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Damn you, Seattle... You got me sick.
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Flying back into Los Angeles, I'm treated to some gorgeous views of my new home.
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Hello, Seattle...
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Uggh... It's mid-October and it's 90 degrees out here. I need a break. See you later, LA, I'll be back soon.
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My boss, along with our sales manager, is in town today on business. We have plans to grab dinner or catch the football game somewhere... But he cancels on me... So it doesn't happen.
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New lights in the building stairwell! Great! Now I can clearly see how disgusting it is in here.
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Being that I know almost nobody in Downtown, running into a familiar face is always an incredibly welcome surprise.
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I'll never look as cool going home with groceries as Downtown Hipsters do.
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One thing Riverside County is better at than LA County: Creating vote-by-mail ballots that are self-explanatory and don't require a multi-step process just to fill out correctly.
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Endeavour is crawling through the streets of LA. And I'd probably be there checking it out... If I wasn't in the Inland Empire... again.
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Sitting in a café drawing cartoons... And I'm on the clock! Can't beat that.
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It's kind of sad that I feel more at home now that a little bit of suburbia has made its way into Downtown.
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There's something ironic about driving from Downtown LA to the Inland Empire to catch a Laker game...
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I'm a bad-ass and I'm learning Downtown traffic patterns, so I walk wherever and whenever I want.
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A lunchtime chili-overload at Carney's in WeHo.
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Here's one I don't get to say very often: The President of the United States was one block from home today. This is his motorcade, which I would have seen... If I weren't in Riverside for the weekend.
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I use my car so infrequently now, it feels like a roll of the dice every time I get in.
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Walking around LA, I see all sorts of really hot model-types.
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For weeks I've curiously watched crews work on the back of a vacant theater across the street. Today I learn it's opening as a haunted house — created by some big-name horror movie producer. And it's only $35! What a bargain!!
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In my cable-less home, streaming the first Presidential Debate from YouTube/ABC News. Does half of my screen really need to taken up with meaningless Twitter commentary from random people?
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There's a Justin Bieber concert two blocks from home. How do I know this? Because of the hordes of prepubescent girls screaming outside my window. Literally.
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Views from the upper level of the Metrolink train are a bit better than the lower level. Albeit, not by much...
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September 2012
Even in Northern California, Carmageddon was able to hunt us down... and make us pay...
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Leaving Southern California just in the nick of time...
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Two items on the Downtown to-do list checked off today: 1. Lunch at Grand Central Market; 2. A ride up Angels Flight
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Walking around LA can mess with your head:
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Sigh... Apparently, they're working on the water... Again...
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Excited that at nearly four months in, I can still find tasty new lunch places within walking distance.
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The most noteworthy thing about having a major award show like the Emmys just two blocks from home? Walking outside during the show and seeing your street completely lined with waiting limousines.
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One good thing about visiting the Inland Empire? Only a 45 minute drive to beautiful Big Bear for a perfect 70 degree hike.
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A 25 minute walk in the sun to the new Grand Park to see a space plane strapped on top of a normal plane fly overhead for about ten seconds. Exhilarating.
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I've made a conscious effort to not turn this comic into a catalog of troubled homeless encounters. But this guy dancing at a Downtown sandwich shop was quite interesting.
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A little bit of web-design-overload scores me a headache and this conversation:
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Hello Cinerama Dome at Arclight Hollywood... We finally meet.
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Standing on the sidelines of a red carpet movie premiere. Apparently, 80% of the "fans" barricaded away from movie stars at these premieres are really people like this. Kinda pathetic. And also kinda creepy.
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Day 100 celebration with visiting family! The only thing missing is helium...
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Excited to finally live in a city where I can conveniently go see small, limited-release movies only playing at two West Coast theaters.
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You know you're in a hip neighborhood like Silverlake when the waitress at a good Vietnamese restaurant dresses like she's headed to Comic-Con.
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The interesting crowds of Downtown Art Walk:
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A typical, fun-filled work-day Skyping with a web developer...
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Walking from the Metro to the UCB Theatre in Hollywood. And for the first time I feel strangely, slightly connected to this giant city.
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Thanks to the decaying Salton Sea, all of Riverside suddenly smells like a giant rotting egg. Luckily for me, I don't live there anymore. Downtown LA, on the other hand, smells like it always does: Car Exhaust; Diesel Fumes; Asphalt; (Good) Food; Trash; Sewage; Urine; Cigarette Smoke; Homeless Body Odor; Human Feces; Marijuana; etc... But, it does not smell like a giant rotting egg.
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My second Comic Creator Meetup, held again at Señor Fish outside of the Arts District.
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A pastrami-sandwich-stop at Brent's Deli in Northridge on the way back into town.
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"No, mom, I'm actually in Ojai right now... No, I wasn't home for the VMAs last night... I know, they were just two blocks from me, but I wasn't in town... Sorry... Didn't get to see the red carpet... No Lady Gaga... No Drake... No Taylor Swift... No Chris Brown..."
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Off to Ojai for a few days...
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Discussing chopstick techniques over a Little Tokyo dinner with the girlfriend and one of her college friends.
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Lesson learned at an LA landmark: How to correctly eat Roscoe's chicken and waffles.
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Happy Labor Day from Downtown Los Angeles!
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The girlfriend informs me of today's conversation with her sister: "So... I saw Danny's comic... He's okay, right? He's not depressed, is he?"
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It's a good sign you're in the Inland Empire when your friend says something like this: "You know, Danny, you should really come to church with me..."
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August 2012
Visiting an old lunch spot while in Riverside for a couple days. I miss scenes like these.
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My first Dodger game as an actual Angeleno. Some fans take division rivalries a bit too seriously...
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Tonight's bus stop entertainment: A full-volume, professional-level operatic vocal performance.
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Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre: Zach Galafianakis capping off 2+ hours of comedy in a tiny, 75-person venue. Um... yes please!
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A certain Lone Star State librarian-in-training left me quite the creative comment. As promised, here she is in a comic... thinking about leaving me a humorous comment.
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In the San Jacinto Valley for the day. The scenery is a bit different than Downtown LA.
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About a week ago I encountered this scene at the park across the street from my building: I didn't have the slightest clue what I was looking at. Today, while discussing K-Pop- Gangnam-Style-horse-dancing-YouTube-craziness, I was able to piece it together:
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Watching some TV during the daily workout.
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"So over the last couple of days, I spent a bunch of free time putting in this sharing and commenting system here. If you're the first person to say something smart or witty, maybe I'll put you in a cartoon or something."
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With the incessant honking outside my window, you'd figure this would be a common scene. Nope, this was a first.
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So tired.
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Because of some supposed high-rise City Building Code, my windows are screenless. I like keeping them open throughout the day. Bugs aren't usually an issue... Yet, here I am at 2:30 am: On a maniacal hunt for the mosquito which has been attacking me every single time the lights go out...
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Jesus Christ, this is hot! How does everybody around here walk around dressed like this all the time?
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Hanging out with a handful of comic creators in Downtown may not be the coolest thing possible. But I don't care. It was kind of fun.
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A walk through Downtown with visiting Riverside friends after dinner at Colori Kitchen; And just 10 minutes later at LA Live.
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Downside of living in Downtown? Being racked with guilt for all the money your girlfriend spends just to come visit you.
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In Thai Town for dinner, seemingly worlds away from Downtown. I suddenly realize: 1. LA is remarkably diverse... 2. LA is a geographic behemoth... 3. I'm yet to feel connected to any of it.
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Free Thursday evenings at MOCA! There are tons of pieces ahead of me that look interesting... But those galleries are closed off. And I'm left with a room full of Rothko.
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Without any social opportunities, I still need ways to break up my work week... So I walk to the movies and re-watch things I've already seen.
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I found a food truck spot! They're only three blocks from home... But it's taken me two months to figure out they're here.
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Beautiful views of LA as I make my way back into the city via the Metrolink.
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Back in Riverside for a family barbecue, chatting with one of my sisters and her husband (This sister being the only member of my immediate family yet to see my new place.)
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Friday night to myself. Maybe I'll go catch a movie at Arclight...Maybe I'll head over to a coffee shop, relax, and do some reading or drawing... Or maybe I'll just buy some beer and sit in front of the computer all night.
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With the girlfriend in town, we originally plan on heading over to Art Walk... But find it easier to just relax at home.
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With a free afternoon, I decide on a change of scenery, and head over to L.A. Live to get some tea, relax, and read for a bit. Nevermind. Bad idea.
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SoCal August Heat Wave: Riverside (where I spent my previous 30 summers): 106 degrees; Downtown Los Angeles: 88 degrees. Beautiful.
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Awaiting my new set of electronic keys. I feel like such an annoyance every time I have to be let into my own apartment.
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After hiking in Fryman Canyon and lunch on the Boulevard, our day in The Valley ends with a dip in the pool. How else could it end? It's disgustingly hot in The Valley. Eww.
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Good way to ruin a perfectly good evening? Dropping your two $100-a-piece electronic keys down the elevator shaft...
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Pleasant night at Urth Caffe in Santa Monica, with the girlfriend and one of her college friends.
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Seeing yellow filming notices around Downtown is incredibly common. But today I get a little excited when I notice a sign for one of my favorite shows just a couple blocks from home. I stalk the location for more time than I'm proud to admit, but ultimately decide I've missed all of the action.
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I can think of worse ways to spend a Wednesday afternoon than in Hollywood, drinking beer, discussing the complexities of refined American cinema.
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July 2012
I'm finally caught up. This project that you're reading right now is finally on track, and is now online. I feel so accomplished! Now I just need to keep it up for ten more months...
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At sunset I head out to the Central Library Maguire Gardens, excited about a new spot to snap some photos. They end up looking like all of my other photos of Downtown.
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Heading back into the city, I realize I was away during AdultCon (a porn convention a few blocks from my building). So, it's fairly safe to say I missed out on my neighborhood sidewalks looking exactly like this:
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On my way out to Riverside for the third straight weekend, this time to help the girlfriend move into a new apartment.
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Another quiet evening in the apartment.
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After hearing some yelling, I watch this scene unfold in the middle of the street beneath my window. Wow.
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It's a bit lonely in the apartment. So I hop on the Metro and head over to Pasadena for the afternoon... Where I sit quietly and don't talk to anybody.
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I live on the 4th floor of a 15-story building. Even small earthquakes tend to rattle the nerves more than they ever did in Riverside.
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Sure is quiet working alone in this apartment all the time. I need some LA friends...
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Sure, there are hundreds of Hollywood movies showcasing my new Downtown neighborhood... But when it's Batman kicking ass on streets I recognize from my daily life, I can't help but get excited.
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Yet again... In Riverside for the weekend.
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My parents and sister make their way out to see my place. So I drag them on a 2.5 mile trek around Downtown.
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Downtown dinner with my aunt and her heterosexual Domestic Partner + A bit of Jack Daniel's = A taxicab confrontation:
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Christmas in July! Downtown film shoots can be a little disorienting sometimes.
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My sister and her friend stop by on their way to a concert. I take them on a quick walk through Downtown to grab some food.
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Back to the grind after the weekend in San Diego. And it feels like I barely leave my desk over the next 48 hours.
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I spend the night in Riverside after two days at Comic-Con. Within two seconds of my head hitting the pillow, I look like this:
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San Diego Comic-Con... Why do I put myself through this torture year after year?
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There is a small "riot" at Art Walk tonight. I wouldn't know. I'm back in the Inland Empire, catching up with my ex-roommate.
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Second time at a web design Meetup. And I am a bit surprised by the make-up of the group.
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I'm excited to see a crowded food truck ahead during my lunch outing. How LA! Turns out, it's just In'N'Out.
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Colorful street characters can give visitors an interesting view of Downtown.
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The conversations overheard on Griffith Park hikes can be so LA.
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"You're definitely in the bottom 1% of fashionability in your building..."
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Scenes like this are always awkward to walk through:
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Having a few beers on a Thursday afternoon makes for an interesting walk through the city.
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With my aunt and uncle in tow, I discover that Downtown may not be the most convenient place to spend a national holiday.
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Here I am at 11:45, on the couch, enjoying my evening. And here I am at 11:55, on the street corner, not enjoying my evening. Thank you, random neighbor, for your small electrical fire.
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I've eaten lunch at a new place every single day. But I'm getting a little tired of sandwiches, salads, and wraps. So today, I spice things up with some delicious Indian food.
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Sitting in Grand Hope Park, eating a delicious panini. Fantastic.
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Second straight day doing a six-mile run through Griffith Park. I could get used to this. I'm beginning to create some semblance of a routine.
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June 2012
Having both the X-Games and an Anime Convention just blocks from home makes for some interesting sidewalk encounters.
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I come across this applicable quote while drinking some wine and watching Urbanized: "The thing that attracts us to the city is the chance encounter, the knowledge that you'll be able to start here, end up here and go back there, but that something unexpected will happen along the way, that you'll make a discovery." - Norman Foster, Architect
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Meetups full of web designers and web developers aren't always the most social events.
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The Original Pantry Cafe: Good for late-night food runs with your sister after picking her up from LAX. But not really the healthiest choice. And, to be honest... kind of gross.
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Back to Riverside for three days of work remodeling the new corporate office. It's hard to get settled with this schedule, but getting paid to paint a mural for my boss isn't all that bad.
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Morning run in Elysian Park offers spectacular views, but is uncomfortably desolate at times. However, I do get to witness Gay Cruising for the first time in my life.
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An afternoon in Los Feliz with visiting friends means I take my first trip on the Metro. Who knew it wouldn't just be us and a bunch of homeless crazies?
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Friday evening spent on the Westside. And now, this traffic thing makes a whole lot of sense.
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I spend some time at a Starbucks around the corner, brainstorming a project which would chronicle my Downtown experience. You should be reading it now...
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I break out of my Downtown bubble and drive into Culver City for dinner with the girlfriend and friends. And I feel like I've been had... this whole traffic thing is a breeze. That is until I'm actually trying to park in Downtown Culver City.
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Furniture is delivered and in place. Belongings are all unpacked. Commence lonely existence of working from home in a daunntingly huge new city where I have no friends.
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Already back in Riverside for the weekend. And although I technically no longer reside here, I feel like I'm home.
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I make my way out for my first Downtown Art Walk. The art is okay... The architecture is great... Anf the people are... well... There is this guy in the middle of the street:
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Seriously... what the hell am I doing?
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No friends. No desk. Nowhere to set-up my computer. No place to comfortably sit. No way to quickly make this home... What the hell am I doing?
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The Kings win the Stanley Cup two blocks from my apartment. At first I think it is all kind of fun and exciting. Then, after hours of struggling to set-up my internet service, I begin to think otherwise.
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Trying to create a routine, I venture out and have my first lunch as a Downtown resident. Mendocino Farms, you are delicious.
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My first night alone. And I catch this scene from my window: Followed by this one:
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I drop the girlfriend off back in Riverside. There won't be a significant change in the amount of time we spend together. Yet, tears are still shed. She started it.
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Two days after my 30th birthday, I pack up and move from suburban Riverside, California to Downtown Los Angeles. This is my 30th year.
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