Skip to main content

The California Chronicles - 11/10/09

California is amazing

I say that because once again today, like two days ago, yours truly received unsatisfactory news via E-mail. I know, I know, why did I check it right? Like I said, habit. And a bad one while on vacation.

Nonetheless, the news slapped me in the face, and offset my mood on a great vacation. However, once again, California saves the day.

Living in New York, sometimes you forget how fast, and often rushed, everything truly is. From driving, to shopping, to even enjoying a hobby, everything has to be done on time. No scratch that, everything has to be done now. I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know, however, it’s when you remove yourself out of the pressure intensified vacuum that is New York City, is when you truly realize just indeed how bad it is. How much unnecessary stress is added in the New York City standard of living.

For the most part, California is just the opposite. Things are just about as expensive, ritzy, and well, fake, as it is in New York, yet there is that missing element of, “the rush.” Everything is turned down to first gear and never moves above that. 

Today, that couldn’t be more evident that taking a ride with my tag team partner, or as most would say, their girlfriend. It was just a cruise all over the coast of California going from town to town, beach to beach, city to city, and enjoying the sun, road, and the ride.


Back home, I never understood the concept of “going for a ride”. Who wants to deal with traffic, the lights, the rude pedestrians, and not to mention crazy drivers?

I understand it now.

I understand the concept of the great American ride. Driving along the coast in the All-American muscle car Ford Mustang, with seventy-degree weather, and no care in the world,  is an experience that sounds cliché, actually, somewhat cheesy, yet, it is remarkable.

And in the end, all my troubles seem somewhat so minuscule. Such an after thought.
What E-mail?

The good Lord knows I love New York City with all my heart.

However, California…

…well California is just amazing.
Labels:

Recently Read Posts

Sunday Sundown Rundown - 6/19/22

3 Up 1. Father's Day and Juneteenth - A combined weekend of all-sort of celebrations, reflections, and appreciation. Sending gratitude and good vibes to all fathers, substitute fathers, step-in fathers, mentors, and figures who have helped shape the lives of many.  Also, take some time to reflect and think through the reflective day that is Juneteenth - new to so many - of the horrific start to our country's existence, and the freedom that came after a century of captivity.  2. Ashley Adirika - This is a dope story. It's the kind of story that is amazing and quite frankly, inspirational. Adirika, a Florida teen, graduates high school with offers from all Ivy schools and many more top institutions in the country. If that wasn't enough, Ashley also started her own non-profit organization to help mentorship for young women.  Unbelievably amazing.  3. Steph Curry - My dude was cooking! Steph continues to be one of my favorite athletes, and such a joy to watch. I was there
Read more

Dope Sports Threats - Nike City Connect Series (Milwaukee Brewers)

Before we dive into the Milwaukee Brewers Nike City Connect uniforms, I want to give some major props to the Brewers organization for handling the Lorenzo Cain situation . Allowing Cain to remain with the team long enough to reach the 10-year milestone, despite a subpar performance and every intention to designate him for assignment, is classy.  Of course, that 10 years (and 5 years with the same team) gives Cain added incentives to his pension as a Major League player. The Brewers didn't have to do that. Classy stuff.  As for these new threads, it's tough for Nike to surpass the aesthetics of the Brewers' current everyday design. The pinstripes, the combination of blue and yellow, the arc of the font across the chest - all of it just feels like the very best of old-school-baseball-in modern-age-aesthetics. And yes, there is the beautiful, amazing, fantastic logo that sits atop the hat is a baseball glove, wrapped with the secret message of "MB" (Milwaukee Br...yo
Read more

Grappling w/ School Safety Updates

I never once thought this would be a part of my experience as a parent. I've grappled with future conversations, thought about how I'll help my multi-racial son through the world that will surely be complex in how it views him, and yes, brace myself for those conversations - you know the ones. Those conversations that my parents had with me, a child of color, in disarming my presence in specific spaces.  Never did I expect to find myself grappling with the reality of the new topic for that awkward sit down to make the first imprint on life memories - son, here is what you need to do if there is a mass school shooting ... I have made no secret here on this site - my upbringing was not pure, was not clean. Not me per se, but I was certainly exposed to my fair share of violence, drugs, and various matters that desensitized and jaded how exposed my experiences really were. My academic environment - specifically high school - was a challenge. Underfunded, overcrowded, excessive v
Read more

Dear Son, First Swell of Pride

--- 3 Years, 9 Months --- Dear Son,  It's been a while since I've dropped a note to you - actually I haven't done so since your last birthday. The last nine months since then have been trying, tremendous, and of course, VERY interesting. We've been able to witness your personality come to be, your talents begin to blossom, and overall, you begin to establish yourself very early in this world.  After all, COVID continues and really has been a dominant presence in your life. While masks as of this writing are no longer required in school, over the past few months your mother and I have had you home again, a lot - much like the start of the pandemic - after variants of COVID closed your school repeatedly (and frequently), and for a brief moment had society on edge.  Regardless, we made it. And during those stints of 8 days, 10 days, or whatever the state mandate was at the time for the latest recent closure, I learned not how much you missed school, but truly, how much you
Read more