Anteater vs. Bruin

I got accepted into UCI's MAT program. But I don't hear back from UCLA for about another month. Not becoming a Bruin could potentially shake things up in a very interesting way. Job and house hunting may have to come back into the picture. My teacher training and potential school districts may look very different too. And who knows what Simon will do!

But I don't hear back from UCLA for about another month.

Thought of the Day: Mice
Song of the Day: Bingo Players-Knock You Out

Let Me Serenade the Streets of L.A.

There are two things I experience every single day. Sirens. Marijuana. I hear the first. Smell the second. I wonder if the two are related to one another.

Living in Los Angeles has been interesting. Contrary to popular belief, New York does not have the worst traffic in the country; L.A. does. In fact, San Francisco and San Jose turn out to have heavier traffic congestion than the City of the Big Apple. I always knew I should "never be on the 405 at 4:05," but I now have a deeper respect (and pity) for those who have 1+ hour commutes to work every day. That can add up to a lot of unhappy hours.

I thought living in an urban area would mean having more parks with basketball courts where I can play with strangers and forget about my stress of the day. Residing in the city actually entails risking your safety in scary parks with drug dealers and homeless people or overcrowded courts with high school kids who can ball me up. I don't see my current basketball shoes getting worn out any time soon.

Koreatown is supposed to be dirty and polluted with immigrants and idiot gangsters who aren't really gangsters. I was expecting people always being drunk and acting like fools in front of food trucks. It turns out that people are a lot more civilized and the area is much cleaner than many of the parts I've seen in Seoul. Living in this weird ethnic enclave actually ain't so bad. It isn't even that weird anymore. I can totally see why my brother chose this area for our new home.

L.A. is not what I had expected, but it's good. L.A. is now my new home. Even with the relentless firetrucks and potheads.


Thought of the Day: Happy New Year
Song of the Day: John Legend-All of Me