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On the MTA Bus…
I hate smelling stale cigarette smoke in a person’s clothes…the odor of dried body sweat, or of piss. Of course if you use public transportation…the bus, or the like… then you’re likely to run smack dab into the vicinity of pungent scents that do not please your nose.
Generally speaking, I don’t mind the bus. It’s easy and inexpensive. I do hate it though when people on the bus use their cell phones to try to play it off like they have important business matters to attend to. Playing it off by talking loudly to impress. Talking obnoxiously loud to impress. Impress who? Us bus riders? Ever since “The X Files,” phoners, I think, have believed somehow that if they pull out a cell in public…on the bus, in the grocery line, at the doctor’s office, etc… then proceed to converse loudly and with great animation, then other folk will think they have BIG business afoot. Sooo phony. Sooo tiresome. I hate cell phoning in public.
Musings About the L.A. Weather…
I hate this cold weather we’re having. It’s abnormal. Strange. This is bone-chilling cold. Artic. Not warm and Pacific. It’s obvious that the chickens have come home to roost. We’ve screwed up and brought on Global Warming; now, nature is rebalancing itself. The seasons are off. Or, let’s say, they’ve repositioned themselves. When you get up or go to bed here in Los Angeles, it feels like San Francisco. Cold mornings and nights. Somewhat warm afternoons. But the cold… It reminds me of back east in its intensity. I’d gotten used to the warm for more than twenty-five years and I hate being cold now. But I’ll adapt.
Exercise in the Morning…
I did yoga for a half an hour this morning. I like yoga. It relaxes me in ways I don’t understand. All I know and need to know is that it keeps my body flexible, supple, strong.
I use a video tape or DVD to do yoga. Haven’t tried a class yet. Most of my videos are in the Sara Ivanhoe’s “Twenty Minute Yoga” series. Twenty minutes is just long enough to relax me and do some body toning. Which yoga is also good for.
I like doing yoga first thing in the morning. I like to get my blood flowing, my brain cells awakened, and my body celebrating another day of life.
As Martha Stewart says, “It’s a good thing.”
Today Is Sunday…
I’m in my Weekend College classroom. I’m teaching a Sociology class called “We Real Cool: Fantasies & Realities of Black Masculinity.” We’re using bell hooks’ book, We Real Cool: Black Men and Masculinity. I’ve got a great class of students. They’re interesting and fun and perceptive. It’s been great spending my weekend (all day Saturday and Sunday) with them.
When I went to lunch, I noticed the warmth of the day. This one is a perfect L.A. day…the kind that causes people move to Southern California. Haven’t had much of it being warm and beautiful outside lately, so I’m luxuriating in today. I can see outside from my second floor classroom. This is what I see: Red Spanish tile roofs atop white-washed buildings, the bare arms of trees, light blue sky. I can even hear church bells ringing. Just to give things the heavenly touch, you know.
I hope it’s warm tomorrow. And the day after. I think we’ll have warm weather most of the week. I suppose I shouldn’t obsess about the weather. Can’t help it though. L.A. spoils you. You get used to seeing craggy mountains standing majestically in the distance. You get used to seeing the sun beaming down on mansions clinging to sides of the Hollywood Hills, to the cliffs of Malibu. You get used to admiring the symmetry of tall palm trees lined up, edging side walks. You get used to listening for the singing of Cottonwood trees, their leaves moving in concert when a light breeze comes along. Yeah. It’s easy to get seduced by L.A.
On warm and beautiful days.
(end)
34 comments:
I like these kinds of posts, Frankie. They are what I'd call chronicle history on the low and cheap. I'm going to write-up my research that I presented on student blogging such as this and get it published as a pedagogy paper. Keep up the great work! Intelligence rules!
I really like and enjoy reading this blog the most because it's all true about the public transportation and the L.A. weather. The public transportation is sometimes crowd to me that I hate and I have been doing that in most of my high school days. And the weather is weird and no one exactly knows what going to happen the next day and so on. Exercise in the morning is good for us so we can relax and makes u wake up. In addition, we enjoy having a hobby on the weekends or having fun such as teaching weekend glasses or other things we enjoy doing.
Rigoberto Medina
Most likely, I have the same concerns about the weather in Los Angeles as you do Ms. Lennon. Many times we expect to have a sunny day and it rains for misfortune. We never know when to use warm or fresh clothes. I believe many people get sick often because of the crazy weather that we often have. We rarely have a nice weather, but I strongly agree with you that is easy to get seduced by L.A. on warm a beautiful days.
Armando Nene
I'm really feeling this story right here, because somebody is finally saying the same thing I said. Its not that I don't like taking the bus. Its just that people really need to make some changes in order to make folks very pleasantful when they ride the bus too. I don't know it just aggravate s the hell out of me when people using their cell phones on the buses or even when they're just talking loud enough for everyone could hear their conversation. Also, I hate when folks spill juice on the sit or even pisses and don't have the common credence to put a paper or plastic on the sit before anyone sits their.
During my breif stay in Los Angeles I have experinced much of the same things. The MTA is at the top of the list, from overcrowding to the lingering stench left by the homeless. And to think they have the nerve to charge you $5 dollars. Then you have the undecided weather, since when did winter continue on to January? Call me old fashion but running is the key to staying in shape.
I can really agree with every thing except the cold wheather. i ride the bus frequently and sometimes it drives me crazy. i can not stand when people get on the bus and smell as if they havent bathed in months, in fact some of them havent. Hey who am i to violate someones civil right if they don't want to bath hey thats great for those people but I say, "why sit next to me!" I think the mta should make a special area for the people who dont bath,or maybe the mta could come up with a deal with febreeze to make the breathing enviornment alot better.
I really like the post on public transportation.I truly agree with what Ms.Lennon said about people using their cell phones on the bus.I have experience this several times while riding on the bus and it gets on my nerves.I hate hearing their conversations and just wish they would wait to they get off the bus to talk on their cells.Sometimes it's just a matter of respect.
i enjoyed reading this blog. I loved the way you use descriptive words to show how you really feel. It made me feel as if I was there.
I once used public transportation thinking it would save me money but i didnt like it mainly for the same reasons. I once thought about taking yoga, someone told me it relax your mind. After reading this blog it makes me want to look into it more. I love reading other peoples blogs when they write about the way they feel and this was one of them.
I enjoyed reading this blog because I can realte to this blog. I do not like public transprotation because the people are weird.Yes, I agree the weather is strange. I think is the consequences of global warming. I like your writing
I enjoyed this blog. I enjoyed it because I agree with so much of what she has to say. Especially the public transportation. I hate the smell and the loud people. I also relate to her when she says that she wants it to be warm. I also like it when it is warm and not cold. In the blog she also uses lots of description another thing that helped stay interested in the story.
I enjoyed reading this blogg because I think everyone feels the same way about public transportation in Los Angeles. I remember when I would ride the bus home from school; I would hate the smell and would meet some of the most random people. I would also get annoyed by the loud people on the cells phones as well as the ones with the very loud music coming from their CD players and Ipods
I really enjoyed reading this blog for the fact that public transportation is something I really don't pay much attention to. When you stop to actually take the time to notice your surroundings you notice many things that are usually invisible to you. I love the way you express and notice many things that are interesting. It's almost as if you bring to life the scenery of a place you are describing allowing the reader to become a part of what it is that you express yourself about.
I could relate my self tho the MTA blog because I many times have taken the bus. I have felt that the people could be rude and expect you to move for them. It also smells like sweat. But sometmes when Im with someone Its ok Its not as bad. I guess cuz you forget everything else. ButI relly did like the blog.
I enjoyed the blog when yoga is done in the morning. because ilt remineds me of when I was in cross country and I used to run in the mornings. I loved the feeling of the cold air and run through it.
I like the blog of the L.A. weather, because I do that the weather today is very off it's season, like some day it rains and the next day it's hot. I recently took a trip to Florida their weather is very crazy, the whole time i was there it rain, My aunt told me that it rains all the time there. About the MTA, also, i can say that someone is finally say something true about people and how rude they are in the buses.
On the MTA Bus
I could relate my self tho the MTA blog because I many times have taken the bus. I have felt that the people could be rude and expect you to move for them. It also smells like sweat. But sometmes when Im with someone Its ok Its not as bad. I guess because you forget everything else. I really did enjoy the blog because I could relate to it.
"LA Observations 4:This and That 2/6 to 2/20/08"
I enjoyed reading this blogg because I think everyone feels the same way about public transportation in Los Angeles. I remember when I would ride the bus home from school; I would hate the smell and would meet some of the most random people. I would also get annoyed by the loud people on the cells phones as well as the ones with the very loud music coming from their CD players and Ipods
Exercise in the Morning
I enjoyed the blog when yoga is done in the mornings. Because it reminds me of when I was in cross country in High School. When I used to run in the mornings. I loved the feeling of the cold air as I would run. It would make my day, and I would feel ready to start the day.
LA Observations 4:This and That 2/6 to 2/10/08
I really enjoyed reading this blog for the fact that public transportation is something I really don't pay much attention to. When you stop to actually take the time to notice your surroundings you notice many things that are usually invisible to you. I love the way you express and notice many things that are interesting. It's almost as if you bring to life the scenery of a place you are describing allowing the reader to become a part of what it is that you express yourself about.
LA Observations 4: This and That 26to 2/10/08
I agree, It never bothered me to take the bus. I hate to smell that all day odor on a person's body. I also don't like the noise and obnoxious people, who are always on their phones. I don't like the smell of cigarettes, they give me a headache. I am also thinking about taking yoga.
I really like this blog the most i agree with this blog a hundred percent,people really talk loud on the phone like everybody on the bus want to heard they conservation,I hate when they do that.That why I really hate catching the bus,but I dont have no choice.
The part of this blog I liked the most was LA Observations On the MTA Bus because I can relate. I’m not from around here but I do see the difference from riding the bus here than where I’m from. When I’m on the bus here with my sister the most random people come and talk to us… mainly her though which concerns me sometimes because she takes the bus often and tells me some of those people follow her. I am a person who was spoiled and rarely had to take the bus and sometimes it troubles me to take the bus because I know there are random people and those other people who are just loud even if they are on the phone or just got done drinking.
I enjoyed reading this blog very much. You had alot of descriptive details that made me feel like i was there with you. Also I liked how you gave your opinion on how you felt about the smell on buses and the way the weather is always changing. I hate that too, I get used to the warm weather and when it gets cold I feel like I am freezing.
When reading how Ms. Lennon felt about ridding the bus as transportation I remembered how it was to ride the bus. I used to ride the buss to summer school at Mount Saint MAry's College and it was horrible. Having to wake upp early, haviing to sit with complete stranger ad comming out of your confort zone, it was all an experience for me. I know exactly how she feels, especially the smels that I got from ridding with smelly, sweaty ridders in the bus. I do like ridding the busbecause of wht she said, its inexpensive, but other than that i rather pay for gas.
I agree with the weather. Though I am not pleased I have to get use to it! I enjoy the way you express your self. The public cell phone talks also gets me disturbed I see no point in putting your business out there! The only couple of times I took public transportation was when I was in high school. Even though it is a very convenient way to transport ourselves, I hate the fact that I have to sit next to someone I do not know. As you may know I am not a very people- person.
I enjoyed reading this particular blog because you were very descriptive with the feelings you felt and the sceneries you saw and I was able to imagine some things you were describing. I could very much relate to riding the bus. I haven't rode it here in LA because of all the nasty things I've heard about the people on the buses but back home, I've encountered people who were smelly and it wasn't the greatest thing having to sit near them the entire ride. I could also relate to how much you love the warm weather because i do too! Living in Hawaii my entire life,adjusting to the cold during the winter season was very difficult. I've never felt so cold in my life until i moved to LA this past year. Overall this blog was interesting and descriptive.
While reading this very descriptive blog I completely agree with the writer. Riding the bus is awful. Public transportation was invented as a much more convenient, an inexpensive way to get around. I remember when I was working at the Santa Monica Pier I used to have to catch the Big Blue Bus #3. It was horrible!!!! I would have to be up early, sit next to complete strangers, as well as sweaty riders in the bus. Publicizing your cellular phone conversation is not only pointless, but also irritating to those who must sit and listen. I think that the author did a magnificent describing the scenery in great details.
I feel that the detail of the Los Angeles weather brought my emotions in and placed me with reality of the the city I live in, Los Angeles. The Los Angeles for the most part is good in the sense that there are no major snow storms or hurricanes as in other parts of the world. This blog pointed out to me the conditions of the weather here in California. I do agree there is seduction to Los Angeles due to the warm good weather. In my eyes the weather is what brings the attraction of people. I liked your details.
I enjoyed the blog you had posted from 2008 “L.A. Observations 4 This and That.” I admired your views about public transportation. I too had to experience taking the Metro to Rio Hondo College for the summer and it was not a very good experience. I was very scared and everyday it seemed like more and more people would be taking the Metro. I also enjoyed this blog because you had expressed how you do yoga to relax and keep your body strong. I never tried yoga but I have just enrolled in a kickboxing class, hopefully, that will help me with my stresses. From what your blog is telling me about the weather in LA, I would be sure to always keep a sweater with me.
The second blog I read was “LA Observations 4: This and That 2/6 to 2/10/08.” I relate to this blog because I remember in the past I did not live in LA. When I used to come and visit family members I would see many different things from where I lived. My mother and I used to come on the MTA it was such a weird experience. There were so many things that you can see in the bus, many different people, many buildings outside in the streets, and many other things to see. The weather is weird as well. At times its cold. Later in the day its really hot the weather changes dramatically in just a few hours. Now that I live in LA I got used to everything and nothing is weird to me anymore. But I do remember how I felt about LA before when I just came to visit family members.
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