The good news is that since I haven’t been working very much, I’ve been able to take in Southern California’s wildflower bloom – I normally miss it since those fucking inconsiderate flowers pick one of the busy times of year (pilot season) to bloom and I’m usually working six days a week while I hear about the glorious flowery-ness of the area.
Then, when work slows down and I’ve got some time all the flowers are dead.
Not this year.
This year, I’m able to go see said flowers while they’re still relatively colorful. Although the really spectacular poppy reserve isn’t quite ready yet, I went up to Vasquez Rocks (which used to be very heavily used as a film location but not so much anymore) and saw some lovely flowers and a disturbingly lush green desert.
The bad news is that there isn’t going to be a pilot season this year – in Los Angeles, at least. Most of the pilots are shooting out of state (and I’m guessing the TV shows that get picked up will also shoot out of state), so it’s probably not going to get busy again anytime soon.
The good news is that I’m working tomorrow. Yay!
The bad news is that I got a ticket on the way home tonight.
The good news is that I had my proof of insurance with me (if you don’t have this in California, you get a very expensive ticket and have to go beg a judge for mercy).
The bad news is that my insurance bill has doubled because of the new car.
The good news is that I haven’t had a ticket in so long I’ll be able to go to traffic school so my insurance won’t go up any more.
The bad news is that now I can’t take the cat to the vet, because now I have to pay the ticket and traffic school.
The good news is that now I can’t take the cat to the vet, so I won’t lose any blood.
The bad news is that this morning, when I was swinging open the garage door, I got a splinter rammed right under one of my fingernails.
The good news is that the neighbor’s kids learned a new word!
The bad news is that I’m going to have to have that bunion surgery.
The good news is that while I’m recuperating I can collect disability, which pays more than unemployment.
The bad news is I have a date over the weekend. With someone I met on Facebook.
Oh, wait. That’s good news. Maybe. We’ll see.
Filed under: life in LA, mishaps, Non-Work, flowers, springtime, unemployed, Work
Totally Unauthorized 
The bad news is that this morning, when I was swinging open the garage door, I got a splinter rammed right under one of my fingernails.
The good news is that the neighbor’s kids learned a new word!
Drat? Fiddlesticks? Fudgecake?
Peter
I feel like all that needs to be illustrated and made into a children’s book. Like that fortunately/unfortunately one.
Sorry for all the trouble, but yay for all the good news!
First: I love the way this post is written. :)
I was up at the Carrizo Plain last weekend an they have a pretty good bloom this year. Carpets of yellow flowers here and there all across the valley floor.
Hope the date proves to be good news. He’d better recognize your beauty and charm, darn it all! :D
Keep your eye on the hills above Gorman, 60 miles up I-5 — five or six years ago, just the right combination of rain and sun conspired to create one of the most astonishing displays of wildflowers I’ve ever seen. Seriously, I’m talking about brilliant carpets of color all over those rolling hills. If we get another such display this year, it’s definitely worth the drive — then you can hop on Hiway 138 (I think) over to the poppy reserves on your way back to 14 and LA — and Vazquez Rocks again. In my experience, April is usually the best month for wildflower viewing in the hinterlands surrounding LA.
As for pilots, you might want to call around — I started one yesterday, and have heard of many more going on in LA. This is the best year for sit-com pilots in a while…
While I love flowers, I now currently have allergies, so I’m not going to smell the roses anytime soon (I live on Kleenix).
You’re collecting disability? Must be through the union cuz I thought California stopped paying disability cuz of the money issues this state is having right now.
The best poppy displays are not always at the preserve. If you take the loooong road to the Poppy Preserve, and then continue on around the buttes, there are bigger better more goldeny fields. When you get to 138, you can go right and go back to the 14 (boring) or go left and (eventually) hook up with the 5 near Gorman. Like Michael said, sometimes the hillsides around Gorman are carpeted with gold (poppies) and purple (lupines) and maybe other flowers too. Being wildflowers, they don’t follow no steenken rules, and will bloom where they want.
If you had insurance and just didn’t have the card or couldn’t find it, the judge will probably dismiss that portion of the ticket if you bring the card to court. It needs to show you had insurance on the date of the ticket. And don’t wait for the appearance date on the ticket because you may want to work on that date. Go to court when you have an open date on your calendar.