Mistaken Identity

 

Was out exploring El Dorado Park with my dog this morning when I thought I saw a former friend of mine making his way along the sidewalk as I was leaving.  I put my Jeep into reverse and tooted my horn to get his attention.  I yelled, "Are you Keith?" He responded, no.  Now the funny thing is, he looked a lot like him. I wish it had been him as I sure would have enjoyed saying hello.

As for my photo... It's been changed twice, it is incense burning on my balcony.

Spooky Season

As the world descends into the madness of Halloween, I sit here in my home, my dog Urt by my side, drink in hand. I let the time pass, my thoughts spinning with the anticipation of what awaits us this spooky season. Horror movies, candy, the smell of pumpkin spice — Oh, the joys of October.

I watch the movie

Halloween again and again, taking solace in its traditions, never ceasing to be amazed by its masterful storytelling and inventive evil. With every raid of my liquor cabinet, my mind follows suit, travelling through the realms of monsters, devils, and, of course, pure terror.

I want the world to share in my delight, even if they don’t share my taste in spirits and films. I’ve become a connoisseur, if you will, of escapism, and I’m choosing to adorn my home with goodies and decorations in order to bring a bit of cheer to the sinister days of October. From The Thing, Halloween III to Forbidden Planet, I’m fully immersed in a world of the unknown, an ancient magic-world crafted from science and dreams.

As I take in the sights, sounds, and smells of Halloween, I pass on wanders of seasons to come. Will there be more horror, more terror, more of the unknown? Only God knows. So raise a glass of whiskey and let’s cheers to the spookiest of holidays, and see if we dare, what awaits us down the road.

Arson

 

It’s October 18th, 2023 here in La La Land, and the heat just won’t quit. Ask anyone on the street and they’d tell you our idea of Fall weather is a mild warm breeze. Just as I turned on the news, they gave the report of some madwoman running about in the Sherman Oaks area of LA, setting fire to anything she could find. The police managed to catch up to her once they got her in their sights, the perp reeking of gasoline and a crazed look in her eyes. As always, the usual suspects held up in their usual ways.

Anyway, my wonderfully faithful companion and I decided to head towards Long Beach and check out Deforest Park. It’s supposedly one of the most haunted places in the city besides the Queen Mary; and being right before Halloween, I figured it could be fun. But when we got there the only things we found were homeless, drug-pushers, and a few crazy kids from around the way. We managed to make our way safely through the trails and steps to the edge of the Los Angeles river. It was quite a bewitchingly beautiful sight, with the gentle flow of the river contrasting against the structures and rise of the buildings in the background.

As the day slowly fades, I can safely say I had a great time here in Los Angeles this 18th of October. Until next time…

Day Of Jihad

 

Today is 13 Friday 2023, and the news had arrived – it was a day of Jihad. I had no idea how far and wide reaching this message was, and how much was truly at stake. But that was of no concern to me, for I am an American and I know that as such, I am called to defend our country no matter what the odds.

As I reached for my gun and loaded it, I began to feel a strange sense of eagerness and strength. I have no fear of what may come, I know that I am my own fortress and the only one that can protect my (and my country’s) well-being.

If I am fated to see combat, then I am ready to face it with all that I have. As I look to the horizon, a siren of duty singing in my ears, I am ready to march out into battle.

I am an American, and I will protect what is rightfully mine.

Pushing The Limit

 

Well, what a night it’s been. I got hit with a good ol’ fashioned tinnitus flare-up in my right ear after what can only be described as a stroke-level amount of alcohol consumption.

Lying here in bed, I’m not feeling too hot – the familiar neon blue glow on the wall is a clear reminder of the trouble I’m in – but I’d do the same again in a heartbeat if I could.

My ear is still ringing in pain while my eyes are sandpaper dry. But the ride stands again tomorrow, and I must be prepared to take it as come – with or without my ear.

I’ve passed the level of impulse control and found myself on the brink of the unforeseen. I’ll take the punishment and suffer the next day – that’s a givin.

So now I take a deep breath knowing I’ll right the situation tomorrow, swallow a couple of sleeping pills, and hope that God will guide me through.

I’m here because I love it, and I love it because it’s what I know, and I know enough to know that I should slow down and start taking my time.

Yet here I am, yet another night, wide awake hoping to see another sun rise. But with each passing day, I realize how much I can take.

My mission now is to find the line between loving life and not losing yourself in it. That’s a hard one, but that’s where I’m at – and I know deep down it’s all gonna be alright.

I may have gone a bit too far, but that’s all part of the fun. It’s a juicy little paradox that I’m in love with, and I’m here to stay.

So, until next time, cheers to pushing the limit and the humbling beauty of the consequences.

Night

 Tonight I watched a movie about a human man who rescues and then falls in love with a robot woman. Now, I’ve seen this movie at least six times. Is it possible for a man and a machine to fall in love? Could there be something more than perfunctory appreciation for life-like functions? I’m still not sure. 

This might be the strangest coincidence, but here I am, alone in my bed in Los Angeles. A faint light glows at the back of my television, trickle down the walls with its eerie hues and brief flashes of radiance. When I take two sleeping pills, I hope that sleep will descend upon me quickly. Maybe tomorrow, I’ll escape with my faithful dog for a romp in the park. 

My heart aches for a woman living in Israel—she must have experienced such fear and terror. All I can do is wish and pray for her safety. 

Maybe a woman and a machine will never really be able to fall in love. But, in a way, I’m sure I can relate. After all, my mind wanders in places I can’t comprehend, my emotions take the reins of my actions, and my heart has been broken many times before. Is that not love, too? 

In the end, I’m just a man, just like the one in the movie. He may have been a little bit brighter than me, being able to express his love to a machine, but I guess that’s the beauty of films. Everything can happen.

3:10 PM

 It was that perfect time of day again. A little past 3pm and the world looked like a methodically orchestrated apocalyptic disaster. You could see traces of it in the shadows as the sun had begun to set, radiating a golden-purple halo of Sheol. The nightmares of the truth had already begun to unravel without any safeguards to really lock in the truth. I began to search for that cyberpunk moment where the air shifts and light changes. Where a multitude of viewpoints suddenly burst forth from all kinds of places, all at once. Everything suddenly seemed to pull apart like a prism filled with all the colors of the rainbow with no way to hold them down.

But my attention was quickly snatched in a different direction: Israel was under attack and what these attackers, these swine, were doing was nothing short of soul-crushing. My heart sank at the thought of all the lives being taken and of the citizens of Israel being hurt and traumatized on this Sunday. All I could do was pray and mourn for Israel, that a swift and just victory would be restored to the land.

Shifting back to myself, my own internal landscape, I began to contemplate my next move, my next great thought for The Great Repository of the Future Digital Wasteland. Everything in this wasteland seemed to be spinning out of control and yet there was something thrilling about it. It was like a force of nature that no amount of obstacles could stop. I just had to let go and throw myself and my ideas into the fire.

And with that, I write this down into the repository, onto the ash heap of the future society. May God bless the citizens of Israel and all the other people in this perilous hour. Until later…

Migraine

 

Welcome to Sunday morning in Los Angeles in October. The skies are clear, the sun is hot, the world is in chaos. Israel is at war, the United States is falling apart, and I had a migraine attack– The familiar aura popping up suddenly in my left eye’s vision, menacing and disturbing. All of this and more was enough to send me shuttering my eyes, trying to will away the pain.

No wonder I have migraine attacks—so much of what goes on in the world is just chaos, and our leaders seem content to stick to the old, outdated standards of before. I almost envy the young, who don’t see the consequences that can come from creating a cesspool to live in. I, on the other hand, will cling to my honky paradise for now.

I know it’s time to get up and move, feel the air, and live. Perhaps an ice cold beer or a glass of wine will be in order. But for now, caffeine will do. I’ve already made my espressos and decided to survey my surroundings, contemplating the day.

So here it is, Sunday morning in Los Angeles in October. The skies are clear, the sun is hot, and the world is in chaos. We might as well appreciate the little moments in between, like the peace a good cup of coffee can bring.

In La La Land

 

The day is quickly winding down on this hot La La Land day and that’s probably for the best, after all the heat alone can turn a man’s brain into jelly and that won’t do anymore. I was tempted by the bottle but reasoned that dealing with a brutal hangover tomorrow just wasn’t worth it – I have to think of the future and of the possibilities I seek in it. The news had my attention, Israel is under attack, could this be the big war that the ancient prophets had predicted? A brilliant thought struck me but it was tempered by the fact that I was in this very moment wasting away in my office with nothing but a loyal canine companion to keep me company.

It was then that I remembered the Power Computer – the one big thing that could make any life easier and allow one to be a part of something bigger. Typing out my musings and forming the words seemed to help the fog of an overwhelming day start to lift. I took to my keyboard, allowing the words to spill out of my brain and onto the screen. I had no grand agenda or target audience in mind, but it seemed like a noble exercise. As my musings were coming to an end, the skies erupted with cyberpunk orange and purple as the sun prepared to surrender to the night.

Once upon a time I had come up with an excellent phrase, ‘The Great Repository of the Future Digital Wasteland’, and I jotted it down in my notebook. Even though this innovation was still eons away, I felt a surge of inspiration coursing through me even as the sun began its descent, and in the flicker of the fading light of day I could already make out the picture of what was to come, of a cyberpunk orange glow bouncing off of the buildings in my neighborhood. It was good, that feeling of anticipation that the future is sure to bring, and with a sigh of contentment I settled back into my chair until next time. Out in La La Land.

Mid Day

 

Another scorching day in Los Angeles. The air is thick with the smell of cigarettes and marijuana, just like every other day in this town. I walk towards my mailbox with my loyal dog following close behind. Nothing had arrived yet, but I’m expecting a package, perhaps my tactical knife and taser gun that I had ordered. I need to stay alert in this rough city.

My dog has been with me for the last three years and during that time. We had been through a lot – Fender benders at red lights, scary run-ins with dangerous dogs, and beautiful sunrises in the meadows by the lake.

But despite it all, we still come back. We love the chaos of this city, its relentless energy and unwavering heartbeat. We don’t know what we’ll face today, but all that matters is that we are here and ready to take on what comes our way.

Heatwave

 

As I step out onto my searing hot balcony, I can feel the sunlight burning through my shirt. I look down at the motionless street below and smell the putrid scent of air conditioning and car fumes. The shadows of cars and buildings cast their evil silhouettes against the slowly darkening orange sky and a hot wind kicks up aluminum canisters from the nearby dumpsite. Despite the oppressive heat, I lit some incense and enjoyed the moment with my dog by my side. I have already made my health drink, a concoction of carrots, cucumber, apple and celery mixed with protein and vitamin powder, and I tentatively sip at it, hoping I might find some energy or reserve in its contents. Fall is officially here yet the sun still burns down, and more heat is sure to come. As the weekend approaches, I reflect on life in Los Angeles, and as the day dims I take in the stillness and silence of the despairing city.

Penpals

 

Well, I thought I’d give it a shot; take a risk and give that stupid social media experiment one final try. It just seemed like a good idea at the time, if a little lonesome.

I signed up for “interpals”, a pen pal site on a whim and waited for the responses to come rolling in. What kind of friendships would I make?

But, after six days spent on the site, nothing had come of it. All I had seen were scammers from Nigeria, setting up fake profiles, ready to pounce on someone gullible. It was a total bust.

I maneuvered my way through the online rat race; dodging the scammers and ducking from the schmucks. Once the seventh day arrives (the day I can officially delete my account), the only thing left to do is run like hell.

The great social media experiment has nearly ended for me. As much as I’m glad to be rid of the site and the scammers, it’s a bit disappointing that nothing came from the experience.

Ah well, so much for pen pals in 2023.

Routine

 

I open my eyes, the break of dawn staring back. My weiner dog that I’d won off a drunken tourist in downtown Los Angeles is barking at me to take him to the park. He’s already laced up his running shoes, just like mine, and is ready to set out for a nice morning jog. (Just kidding about the drunken tourist thing, I purchased him from a Breeder). As we motored slowly toward our destination the morning sun was rising, giving a hint of the glorious heat and brightness to come.

We hit the steamy grassy hills and both of us bound around the miniature lakes like excited puppies. My dog is beside himself today, so full of excitement and energy as he yelps with joy and I take in a deep breath of the morning air. We sprint, jog and stop to explore every single mole hill and unusual blade of grass. My lungs burn but it feels good or at least I convince myself that it does.

The sun begins to rise and I catch a glimpse of a familiar face. It’s my friend Dan, the Vietnam veteran I’d met over the past year, we share small updates and stories and complain like old men do about how awful things have become. He walks his Siberian Husky every morning too, around the same time my dog and I do and it’s become a nice habit of sorts as we meet briefly and go our own way. We both give a wave and I prepare to head back home.

As I leave my dog climbs into his usual spot on my lap, his head sticking out the window. We join the morning rush of cars, packed with people off to their corporate jobs. What was usually a 10 minute drive turns into a 30-minute snarl of horn honking, anxiety-filled eyes, and gridlock.

Finally, we make it back home. As my dog scampers off, ready to tackle another day I take an ice cold shower before curling up with a mug of coffee. I open the balcony doors and sit back, sipping the dark elixir of life. As the world comes alive, I’m reminded of how grateful I am to start another day.

Sulfur

5:30 AM – The air was thick with the foul smell of sulfur in Los Angeles this morning. For a moment, I was in panic mode, wondering if there was a gas leak in my neighborhood. I quickly emerged from my house with my canine companion and started walking around to inspect my area.

Of course, most gas companies in the U.S. add a pungent odorant to otherwise odorless gas so we can easily detect leaks. Thankfully, it became apparent that this odor wasn’t just confined to my neighborhood. As we made our rounds, I noticed that the miasma was everywhere in my city, from the street corners to the plants and even as far as the park. This discovery put my mind at rest: it was just the usual sulfuric smell that can often permeate the Los Angeles air. Thankfully, my house was safe from any looming explosion. With my mind at ease, I proceeded to take my dog for a walk.

I kept my eyes peeled for anything out of the ordinary – namely, signs of the devil himself. No cloven hoof prints or pitchfork lying about, however. For better or for worse, the sulfuric smell seemed to dissipate as quickly as it had come. And with that, another morning in Los Angeles passed, and I continued my morning stroll with my faithful canine companion.

Monday

 

The heat of the SoCal sun woke me before the break of dawn, and I beelined out the door in pursuit of some sort of normalcy in an otherwise chaotic world. My four-legged comrade, a Dachshund 3 years of age, bounded by my side with pure joy, unencumbered by the state of the world. We traversed fields, orchards, and ponds for miles — somewhere short of paradise, seeking some sort of haven from the toils of the day that had yet to come. Our pace was steady, gradually picking up as more miles were conquered, until finally the devilish heat of the Los Angeles morning chased us back to our starting line.

Stomping around the living room post-run, I checked my various blogs and forums for any activity, never quite sure what I was looking for. But when I knew I had found something, I never found it; nevertheless, I pressed on, my purposeful aimlessness my solace.

Just then, a reminder came from the State Lab that an observation of the water sample pull at 1 PM had Brewed for me; I glanced at the clock, stamping it as 11:45. Nothing much going on, I thought to myself, so I opted for a bit of respite, curling up on the softest corner of my divan for some midday solace. Before I knew it, an hour had passed, and I was off, having made the appointment in good time. I met with the lab technician in full greyscale getup and waited, my eyes restless.

That being done, I had the rest of the day to myself, and I my first thought was to find my activity of choice. however, I was quickly reminded that October in Los Angeles was never quite bonafidely good for seasonal weather. Today was a mild chill, but the weatherman told me heat was on its way again; my thoughts soured as I knew that tomorrow would bring no change to the status quo.

Still, I tried to make the best out of the day I had, but my efforts were ultimately subdued by my knowledge that I had wasted yet another day that could have been better used elsewhere. With a heavy sigh, I reverted to my aimless wanderings, maybe tomorrow will be a better day.