West Coast Players

I am back. I have returned from the mighty Pacific. I have returned poorer, but wiser, richer in knowledge, and humbler in spirit. I had seen one ocean, and been called alive, now I have seen two oceans, and truly am.

I took four pictures with my phone camera, and one video. When I learn how to post those to blogger I will submit a photo/video essay here. In the meantime, I'd like to tell you what I've been up to this past week:

Day One, Tuesday last, 5:15 PM
My lazy manager boss asked me to postpone my vacation in order to stay and help out with the monthly reporting. His words: "So...are you, going anywhere, tomorrow?"

Day Two, 5:30 AM
I wake up, quickly throw some clothes in a suitcase and ride to the airport for my flight. I arrive ridiculously early, luckily, Dunkin' Donuts is open.

My flight from Boston to Los Angeles is long, but uneventful. I am squeezed into the smallest coach seat I have ever paid for. The inflight movie is some crappy Lindsay Lohan movie about luck. I read Neil Gaiman's American Gods for the duration of the flight.

I arrive in Los Angeles ten minutes prior to Donny. I call Raymond, who we are visiting, and Donny. I retreive my suitcase from baggage claim, Raymond retreives Donaldo and myself.

We stop at In & Out burger. I had a double-double something with fries. It was pretty good.

We make a quick stop to check out Ray's gun collection. I learn how to clear a revolver. Donny takes photos. Then we drive to Vegas.

We arrive in Vegas, check in to our hotel (the MGM), and then wander The Strip. I lose some money on video poker and slots. I spend at least half an hour at the Star Wars slot machine. I could play that all week.

Day Two/Day Three
Assorted gambling (slots, video poker, three card poker, craps), drinking (Jack & Coke, bloody mary, margaritas, banana flavored drinks, beer), and eating (three buffets, crepes, nachos, burgers). The days blend together. There is no day or night. Donny wins big on Wheel of Fortune slots, and pays for the buffet.

Day Three, 2 PM
We leave Vegas. On the road Ray and I play Simpsons Trivia. Ray wins. Donny sleeps. We call Cory, and Donny and I plan to meet up with him that night.

Cory meets us at Ray's apartment. We drive to Malibu and have dinner. The Pacific Ocean is gorgeous. The food is also quite good.

We drive to Cory's apartment, Ray meets us there. We play spades, and watch Super Troopers until the wee hours of the morning. We resolve to go to a Dodgers game.

Day Four 11 AM
Ray drives to El Taurino and we eat burritos. They are spicy and delicious.

We meet Cory and drive to the Getty Museum. We listen to the architectural tour explain that the dimensions and proportions used in the design are either "30, a multiple of 30, or a part of 30."

The three of us with math degress remark that any number less than 30 is "part of 30," and that 30 just happens to have possibly the widest array of convinient factors (including 1,2,3,5, and 6).

We eat Korean barbecue. Ray shows us the ropes. The food is delicious.

We go to the Dodgers game. I try, in vain, to purchase a Dodgers cap as a souvenir. The Dodgers give up three runs in the first, eight runs in the third, and lose the game 11-2, and first place in the NL West, to the Padres.

Day Five 10:30 AM
Donny and I hang out at Cory's apartment. We visit a farmer's market, eat some really great Mexican food at a local resturant, and watch football.

Donny gets a haircut.

Later, Ray picks us up and we head to Santa Monica.

We walk down the Santa Monica pier and out onto the beach. I stand in the Pacific Ocean. The West Coast is incredible, and spectacular. We enjoy the beach.

We walk up off the beach to find dinner. We also find an elderly Mexican man performing "Achy-breaky Heart" in monotone with a Casio beat under it. He also dances. Donny records a short video.

Ray and Donny try vibrating chairs at Brookstone. Then we eat dinner. The old man changes songs, now he is singing "Guantanamero." Ray asks the waitress where she is from, she says "Brazil." Donny asks if the Mexican street performer appears often. The Brazilian waitress beleagurdly says "every Saturday and Sunday." Donny giggles uncontrolably when the man switches back to "Achy-breaky Heart."

We return to Ray's apartment and watch The Simpsons and Anchorman. We retire.

Day Six, 10 AM
We wake, shower, and head to the airport. We say our goodbyes and enter our respective terminals. Ray drives departs, and so do we.

I arrive in Boston at 9:30 PM, my sister picks me up at the airport. I get home, reheat some Chinese food, realize I'm exhausted, and try to sleep.

I watch Garden State, then lie awake until 3:30 AM.

Day Seven, today, 7:45 AM
I wake up, tired. I shower, get dressed, go to work.

I delete a week's worth of email. I stare at my computer.

The lazy manager tells me to have cash tied out by Friday. I think that will be relatively easy, so I go out for coffee, and write a blog post.

-t