Monday, July 5, 2010

Anne Frank and the Canyon





Well hello there. I know it's been a while but there hasn't been a ton to update on. Still looking for some sort of employment after a rather shady incident at this place called K n' Dave's. I was “hired” and in training-but no one ever really told me what I was training for and different managers would tell me opposing ideas on what I was doing and where I should be. After about two weeks when the new schedules were to come out I called to ask when to come in and they told me they were deciding if they were actually going to hire any of the trainees. I was not one of em if they did. I have also talked to a girl there that got “hired” around the same time as me and she told now has a similar story of management being pretty strange and then not getting hired. So the good news is I really don't want to work for a place like that, the bad news is I don't currently have a job. Bummer. During my search I did get a random call to dog sit in Pacific Palisades. This came from a friend of Jan's-mom's sorority sister-who needed someone to watch their rescued dog Fig and kinda watch their house while they were away. Not exactly a job I can hang my hat on but something to keep me afloat for the time being. The house is right at the edge of a canyon or cliff overlooking the ocean-quite a good exchange for having to pick up Fig's business everyday. It was pretty gray most of the time I was there...the Californian's call it June gloom. Anyway, one of the days after walking Fig I was looking out at the ocean and realized I hadn't actually been to the beach yet since being out here. I figured surely there would be a way to make it down the cliff/canyon or whatever it is...I'm sure there is a good geological term for it out there somewhere. Near the edge I could see trails going down so I knew I could manage at least a little ways. After fighting some tall brush in the trail I came upon the back seat of a car on a good view point of the ocean with quite a number of miller high life cans in front of it. I figured this was the local high school hide away of the neighborhood. Another clue that it was some high school kids hang out was a lot torn out pages to a book. I figured school just got out so most likely on a wild night they sacrificed all their required reading material. I picked up a few pages of the Diary of Anne Frank to read if and when I made it to the beach. I could see another trail down below so I kept going down down down...not into a burning ring of fire though. After some tough going and following some drainage pipes I came across what was probably a hobo hideaway...trash and places to sleep I guess...I didn't stick around long enough to give you any real solid details of the joint. I then made my way back through the thick brush and drainage pipes and kicked up a pretty big coyote-which was kinda cool. I was about to just go back up but thought I'd round one more corner of one more trail-which turned out to be a straight shot to the bottom. The next obstacle was crossing the six lanes of the Pacific Coast High way to get to the shore...the stop lights about a half a mile down gave me plenty of space to do so...i just figured it looked odd for a dude to hop over the cement barricade coming out of the wooded canyons, onto the highway, weaving through cars and making his way to the beach. But finally made it and it was great! I love the ocean! I was pretty hot after my trek down the mountain-i was calling it a mountain by this point and especially going back up-and wanted to get in the water. After getting about ankle deep I realized I was just fine with my current body temperature...i wanted no part of the pneumonia I woulda gotten! I found a good sand dune and pulled out the Anne Frank pages which were really pretty amazing. I only had pages 171-182 but got some good advice from Anne! “My advice is: Go outside, to the field, enjoy nature and the sunshine, go out and try to recapture happiness in yourself and in God. Think of all the beauty that's still left in and around you and be happy....and whoever is happy will make others happy too. He who has courage and faith will never perish in misery!” Anne Frank
Will do! AND HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!!!