5 posts tagged “marina del rey”

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Amusing snaps

Feb 28, 2009
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Unfurnished apartments need furniture and as I don't own any I need to buy some. Today's mission was to find a bed shop that hadn't already gone bust and get one from them. I started the process by looking for bed shops on Google Local and walking to them. Two of the three shops had closed down and one was in a distressed state and probably about to close down.

On the walk I noticed a few strange things, which I felt represented a few problems we're seeing today. The first is an advert for a real estate company which seems to be trading on the good looks of some of its female staff and uses the tag line "Bringing you home". Tasteful? You decide.

IMG_0080 (US Real Estate Industry)

Next, I walked past a car which seemed to describe the US car industry in far more eloquent terms than I ever could. It's too big, it's got too much stuff in it and it's held together with gaffer tape.

IMG_0081 (US Car Industry)

Finally, I walked past an advert for cannabis which seems to suggest that it should be barbecued. Despite living in Amsterdam for six years I don't claim to be an expert on the holy herb but I don't think I've ever seen anyone grill herbs over hot coals on the Food TV network. How do you have yours?

IMG_0082 (US Healthcare System)

Oh, and I did get the bed. Michelle pointed me at this place in Culver City. They had what I wanted and some good sale prices.

Moving in...

Feb 27, 2009
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I've been quiet lately and this is a short post.

This afternoon I signed a lease for an apartment. I take possession on Monday morning and will move in as soon as my furniture is delivered.

Pictures and other goodies next week, maybe.

Return to sender

Feb 10, 2009
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Now that I'm starting to integrate myself into the system people are starting to send me mail and so I decided to open the mailbox for my apartment. I found a bunch of junk mail for "The Pizza Eater", a letter from my insurer and a very old letter for someone who must have stayed here a few months back.

You can often make a good guess about mail for previous tenants and just junk letters from magazines asking about renewing subscriptions, supermarkets sending coupons and so on. But this one was different. It was from what looks like a medical centre and included a reference to the recipient's "Patient Number". It looks important. The sender really ought to know that the recipient hasn't got the information, particularly as it was sent in November last year. Erk!

I just wonder whether I should write: "Return to Sender" on the envelope, or "Return to Sender, presumed dead".

Post Mark with Date

To Address with Patient Name and Number

Ouch. SUVs hurt.

Feb 8, 2009
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I'd never been hit by an automobile until Friday. I had started to settle into life in Southern California to the point that I'd bought a bike and had begun cycling to and from work. And then, as I was approaching the final 100 yards I crossed Bali Way on the lights and was knocked onto the road by a woman driving an SUV. I think she was more scared than me and she probably had a truly horrible day wondering when my lawyer would call her.

The good news is that I got straight up and we swapped details before I wheeled my basically undamaged bike into the office before arranging to see a doctor who confirmed I'd just been bruised. He offered to prescribe me some Vicodin but I've been doing fine taking two Tylenol every six or eight hours. My old laptop did slightly worse as it didn't just hit the road, it had me fall on it, too. Thank Apple for Time Machine, which worked really well.

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Today's been good. I've managed to walk a couple of miles and buy a decent pair of shoes to replace the rubbish pair I left behind in Brussels, replace my 20-year-old belt and get some groceries. I love being able to buy groceries on a Sunday. I've even managed to catch up on the work I missed on Friday while I was at the doctor's surgery.

The path to work

Jan 28, 2009
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I tend to walk in at sunrise and back at sunset, so it's not easy to take photos that aren't completely bleached out. This one, from the shade of a tree, was taken as I walked in to work this morning. It's a bit more than a mile, so doesn't take long.