Month: July 2006

1. Merge onto I-280 W toward DES MOINES (Crossing into IOWA). 10.5 miles
2. Merge onto I-80 W via the exit on the LEFT toward DES MOINES. 288.5 miles
3. Keep RIGHT to take I-29 N via EXIT 1A toward SIOUX CITY. 2.1 miles
4. Merge onto I-480 W via the exit on the LEFT toward OMAHA. 1.3 miles
5. Take the 14TH ST exit- EXIT 3- 0.2 miles
6. Turn LEFT onto CASS ST. 0.2 miles
7. Turn RIGHT onto N 17TH ST. <0.1 miles
8. End At 613 N 17th St, Omaha, NE 68102-4625
9. Start out going EAST on CALIFORNIA ST toward N 16TH ST. <0.1 miles
10. Turn RIGHT onto N 16TH ST. 0.1 miles
11. Turn RIGHT onto CHICAGO ST. <0.1 miles
12. Turn RIGHT onto ramp. 0.3 miles
13. Merge onto I-480 W. 2.5 miles
14. Merge onto I-80 W via EXIT 452C toward LINCOLN — 884.0 miles
15. Merge onto I-84 W via EXIT 168 toward OGDEN. 74.7 miles
16. Take the UT-13 exit- EXIT 376 0.4 miles
17. Turn RIGHT onto N 5200 ST W/UT-13. follow UT-13. 2.1 miles
18. Turn LEFT onto UT-102/E MAIN ST. 1.1 miles
19. End At 131 E Main St, Tremonton, UT 84337-1625
20. Start out going EAST on UT-102/E MAIN ST toward N 2ND E/N 200 E. 1.1 mi
21. Turn RIGHT onto UT-13. 2.3 miles
22. Merge onto I-15 S via the ramp on the LEFT toward OGDEN 676 miles
23. Take the PALMDALE ROAD/CA-18 W exit-0.3 miles
24. Turn RIGHT onto PALMDALE RD/CA-18. Continue to follow CA-18 W-24 mi.
25. CA-18 W becomes PEARBLOSSOM HWY/CA-138 W.-18mi
26. Turn SLIGHT LEFT onto PEARBLOSSOM HWY.-4.4mi
27. PEARBLOSSOM HWY becomes SIERRA HWY.-1 mile
28. Merge onto CA-14 S toward LOS ANGELES. – 30 miles
29. Merge onto I-5 S via the exit on the LEFT toward LOS ANGELES. – 4 miles
30. keep RIGHT to take I-405 S toward SANTA MONICA. – 2 miles
31. Merge onto CA-118 W toward SIMI VALLEY. – 8 miles
32. Take the TOPANGA CYN BLVD/CA-27 S exit.
33. Turn LEFT onto TOPANGA CANYON BLVD/CA-27.
34. Turn RIGHT onto ANDORA AVE.
35. Turn SHARP RIGHT onto VALLEY CIRCLE BLVD.
36. Turn LEFT onto GERMAIN ST. 0.2 miles
37. End At 22300 Germain St, Chatsworth, CA 91311-7117

my pictures page has been reformatted. This now includes nearly every digital picture in my collection. By the way, if you don’t already have it, check out Google’s Picasa for picture management. I haven’t messed with its editing capabilities, but the convenience for keeping the pictures organized is great.

As of noon today, my employment at Espresso Royale is a thing of the past. It was a strange shift, half the time spent waiting on customers I’d never waited on and will never wait on again, the other half spent telling regulars who didn’t already know that someone else would be serving their coffee from now on. I even passed off my key to a newcomer. I was given more tips today than I’ve ever made in any single day—even when I pulled double shifts waiting tables at Denny’s or IHOP. I just hope that maybe I can keep getting free coffee when I come back to town, for a couple years at least!

nice things gain a special sparkle when given as gifts of genuine generosity. thank you, sugar-plum 😉

Elise is my biggest fan. I wonder how many Sundays it will take for her to comprehend that “Coffee Chris got a new job, so he isn’t going to work here anymore.”

pictures from last week’s trip to cali should be coming very soon.

until then: this.

Well, I’m finally uploading the pictures that I took last week on the way to and in California. In related news, I ordered a camera, as well—I’m already ready to start spending my new income, though I have no real conception of what my budget will be like living out there. Along those same lines, I was tipped off to a nice alternative to the Harley Sportster 883 that I’ve been fantasizing about for the last couple of years. Apparently Moto Guzzi out of Italy is like a Harley, but with a little more class. I’ll stop by the dealership and check it out once I’ve gotten settled in (I prefer the black one, by the way).

I also had some work done to my car for the road trip out: new tires—$315; new CV joints—$65 (down from the anticipated $280 because the Farm and Fleet guys screwed up); and new muffler and exhaust up to the catalytic converter—$377. The last thing I might need (but I think I might not need it right now) is an alignment, which could be as cheap as $30-35. More will be revealed.

I got my diploma, and my job! Woo-hoo! Celebration! I intend to land in LA on August first (or shortly thereafter) and start work on the 7th. I’m so excited!

It’s funny to me that I got both on the same day—a full-moon nonetheless.

And I have to mention: when I was in LA, waiting for a meeting to start in the back room of a Denny’s at 11pm on Friday night, a song came on the radio. It was the Mamas and the Papas, I think: “I’d be safe and warm/If I was in LA…”