I've been taking Sir Paul's advice (well, the second part of it, anyway) after returning home last night from California. I'm still pretty tired, but overall it was a mighty fine trip. Just to prove I was really there, I give you this photo of me next to the Golden Gate Bridge, which after seeing in person, I am officially proclaiming to be the second-coolest manmade thing on earth, just behind the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. Talk about your thrill rides—it was a total rush to walk across this awesome piece of engineering, especially with the high winds whipping all around me. The Bay Bridge was pretty cool too, but there's no pedestrian traffic allowed on it. I'll provide full coverage of the trip with photos later on, but for now, just a few notes and observations.My man Bob Walkenhorst of The Rainmakers was absolutely right when he wrote, "If you've ever seen that L.A. scene, you know it ain't no Jan & Dean..." Lots of crazies down that way, especially in the Hollywood & Highland area along the Hollywood Walk of Fame. I heeded Ray Davies' advice and avoided "stepping on Bela Lugosi" while "Celluloid Heroes" played on my iPod. What a wonderful enhancement to the experience my iPod was, by the way—it was fun to listen to "Walking In L.A." by Missing Persons while literally walking in L.A.! As for the WOF itself, it's great that they honor the true greats, but I'm having trouble understanding the criteria they use that allows schlubs like John Tesh, Leeza Gibbons, Mark & Brian and Ryan Seacrest (puh-leeze!) to be included in the same league as Marilyn Monroe, John Wayne and Bob Hope. I'm reminded of comedian Gallagher's bit about Canadian currency which features a picture of the queen on one side and a beaver on the other—"What good is first place if second place went to a beaver?"
I was totally unprepared for downtown San Francisco. I was absolutely floored by all the vagrants, beggars, winos, weirdos, bums and just plain losers I encountered not just in downtown, but Golden Gate Park as well. Every big city is plagued by this, but I have never seen that many transients in one place before. I saw numerous people literally sleeping in the streets, and it was as if the authorities turned a collective blind eye to it. If I were a native San Franciscan, I would be totally embarrassed. It's a beautiful city, to be sure, but there's definitely a dark side to it. And although some of the denizens of Haight-Ashbury apparently think it's still 1969 with their drugs and Woodstock mentality, I did not see one single solitary person wearing flowers in their hair, either...
Another thing I was appalled at in California was the roads—they are dreadful! The highways (especially in the L.A. area) look like they haven't been resurfaced in 20 years, and some of the signage looks like it was installed in the '70s! Between the film industry and all the big corporations in California with all that money, you'd think they could funnel some of that cash into upkeep on the roads. On the positive side, the weather was just about perfect throughout the trip, and I especially loved the Fall-like temperatures in the Bay Area. But dammit—there wasn't an earthquake while I was out there! I'm so disappointed...
Oh, one other thing—I have a question for all the bozos who conducted the protests on Hollywood Blvd. last Saturday about the Scientologists while wearing masks—if you're so dedicated to your cause, why did you feel the need to hide your faces? Granted, you're preaching to the choir here, as I think Scientology is total bullshit—hell, I think ALL religions are total bullshit—but what was up with the masks and vitriol y'all spewed forth? Get a life already...
Much more to come later when I can string more coherent thoughts together...
