Yes Andrea I’m finally addressing the topic . You see the’Angelinos’ are in a real funk at the moment .They are of the extreme misfortune of only receiving an average of 284 sunny days a year .Now as I have previously stated and will continue to ;you get bored of it .Yes the advantages outweigh the negatives and the sun makes you feel good ,no argument . Little things happen ,like excess sweat. I know this happens in any warm climate around the world ,but it has side affects. My b o. has got worse . You can’t wash it out of my shirts and it makes you very self conscious. I feel my odour has changed for the worse .It can’t be just excess sweat ,the state of the air and the subtle change in diet must be factors.Anyway I’m standing an extra meter back at school pick up and dousing myself in deodorant . Remember this is fucking designer parent territory. Shirts are about to be turfed after 6 weeks .And there’s the other thing ,you rarely wear other clothing . ‘Wow stop fuckn whinging Howie’ you couldbe freezing your nuts off in Melbourne like 2 million other plebs .True .Pre summer every year a phenomen called the ‘marine layer’ does its thing here . It is the major talking point on the news probably just shading Trump. Yep we’re not shallow here .A rolling mist like fog creeps in from the Pacific Ocean and blankets much of Los Angeles with low level cloud.It becomes very still and after the early morning bite (17 degrees or so)it warms up slowly to be very pleasant . Perfect for morning surfing and any exercise . You even get to put long sleeves on for a few hours if you like . And my shirts hang in for a whole day , oh yeah . But what’s this ?The locals can be heard talking about how terrible the weathers been and how it was a blight on the Hermosa festival.Wtf ! Often these days end up sunny later in the afternoon anyway and was so for the whole 3 days of the festival .We Melbournians would be grinning like Cheshire cats .Anyway we’ve just fought our way through May grey and are now stuck in what is famous over here.   June gloom . And guess what ? I’m lovn it cause I think it’s just right and the locals are miserable . Even bought myself something to celebrate with .Cost me $15. It would of cost me $50 in Australia . Have a good weekend freezn ya bits off people’s ,cause I won’t .just for you Dale . A mixed dozen of Sierra Nevada for $14 49

Now we are currently beginning our 3rd move in 6 weeks .Our stuff from sea freight arrived and I was required to tick each item off as it was unloaded into our soon to be permanent apartment .Our current joint is like a 2 bedroom resort style setup.We’ve got a pool ,spa and gym to share with a couple hundred others . The new place has 3 bedrooms with a pool and spa to share with 20 or so apartments . Anyway I had to head back and grab a bite . Now our joint is the top of 3 levels and faces another apartment block . Between each building is a dense group of trees making our balcony very private with little light . You felt like you were in a little rainforest . We always have the doors open with just a fly screen closed . Of course boredom develops a nice little appetite for particular web browsing .Now as I mentioned previously the Mexicans do all the labour and without the restrictions of back home . Anyway as I settle on the couch for research I’m startled by the sounds of Spanish . Out the corner of my eye I spot what at 1st looked like a monkey wedged in this tree 10 meters or more up,looking straight at me. No ,it’s a fuckn tree looper just hanging there trying to lasso a rope . For christs sake is this fucker for real . He could easily have sighted a rare Australian snake and fell .No I do admire them as they’ll do anything for work .Work cover is not going to show up anytime soon over here .These trees previously almost reached into our apartment,until the Mexican gardeners climbed and trimmed them.

Ok ,we are in a public school system that apparently doesn’t require fees . Your taxes through the local level(another story) pay for your schools needs. Here at Hermosa we are known for being one of the best supported schools with high academic standards.Cool,but here’s the thing ;charity and donations are ‘appreciated ‘. Ok you say we ,can handle that .We get 3 emails every week telling us of the never ending up coming events and parent expectations.Fundraising and volunteering are at levels way above my comfort zone.There is periodical donations expected from all families .What I really don’t like about all this is the status that accompanies those who are loyal sponsors .You get your own special placard that you attach to the front of your house signifying that you are a special supporter of Hermosa schools . Your ‘special’.There is a publicly displayed board detailing which families have given to the level ‘liked’.Making it very obvious as to those that havnt . It’s only my feel, but there seems a divide in the school community(another story I’ve been keeping my powder dry on) that doesn’t feel comfortable .The whole raising money for your school is new to no one but here it just stirs in the pit of my gut.EJ of course made a substantial donation so we have no need to feel shamed but being known to ‘not be working ‘makes me nervous .Leave me the fuck alone, I l help occasionally when the surf is shit .Im writing this this morning at another regular school performance which I don’t mind. ….. from time to time. Oh and there’s the Hvf (volunteer team ) making her special plea to arms right now . But on a feel good finish I’m going to show you a cute little video you’ll all love back home .And on side note ;their national anthem is spine tingling .​

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It’s a big city and we haven’t ventured out of our own little area too much .Buildings all the way to the beach . Trees and greenery are hard to find .Although you grow fond of it . I don’t know why ? Maybe just familiarity . The strand and all its cluster of concrete and render sandwiched between two big ugly old power stations .You look back from the water and wonder ,what the hell they were they thinking? My view has altered . It is beautiful in all its ugliness. On a grey cloudy day it almost has a warp to it I can’t really describe . I sound like a wanker but it reminds me of a Salvator Daly landscape . They are keen on going green here and not a moment too late. You’ve got oil rigs and tankers off the coast and stretches of oil pumps along the shoreline just north . It’s amazing the wild life in the water is even here ,but it seems plentiful. Still, every day you walk the sand you’ll get tar like blotches attach to your feet. The smell of the water on some days is an intense earthy tang . It’s like someone has dumped a pile of ‘chum ‘ into the pot .Once the sun comes out, its like it all disappears .When its sunny it’s oh so California .Its what you expect to see when you Holliday ,but when it’s overcast it’s real urban.

Stuff it I’m not sitting on the couch. So I limp out and have a surf . 1st wave in i pop my fin off .A 5 minute surf .What i thought i’d save by not visiting the doctor and then risking this morning bites me in the arse .$50 goes back into the karma bank and I probably just gave the wound a nice salt water rinse. As the surf will be too small until Saturday i’ve got no choice but to rest . Can’t run or walk too far either . Shit I’m going to have to find some new shows to report back on . The world works in mysterious ways.

Weekend over (more to tell there) ,kids dropped off ,check the waves . Holy shit it’s real good .In fact I was wondering if the waves would ever match some of the photos I’ve seen on line and posted all over the surf shop walls . Today’s the day . After all that drinking and giving up my precious time to keep the wife and kids happy (didn’t go surfing thought I might be pushing it) it was gonna be all me time .Oh yeah. It was going exceedingly well until I thought I could wind the clock back and stuff myself into a nice little tube . On take off i shit myself and tried to bail out ,but too late .I copped a beating and took a heavy whack to the foot . Nah,she’ll be right i’l get that one back and have a real long session ,might even come back b4 picking the kids up later. But the buzzing in my foot continues ,and there it is ,a nice big slash. Fucking great.With continuous shark sitings everyday i get out pretty quick .Igot to the beach and some chick helped me ,said to get to the fire brigade /life guards and they’ll treat it . Shi yat , I might break my own pact and have to hit the doctors . I’ve decided it’s my goal not to pay for anything medical, so I’ve hit the chemist instead .Antibiotics ,bandaids ect ,even hoping to surf tomorrow .On the other hand Jerry Springer might get a real workout.cleaned up pretty well I reckon , no doc required.    Please …….

Everywhere . Call them cool ,call them tools but the dude trying to stay young are to be found around here. Out in the surf ,on the strand , getting a pedicure , posing in front of shop front windows . Yep , I’m not alone but fuck the competition is scary. Guys over 40 look good or at the very least think they do if they live in Hermosa. Every weekend ,no everyday no matter if it’s sunny or not ,you’ll see the over 40 eager to get the top off and show his kit . Old guys doing 5 minute stretches on the beach before they go out and surf .Just happens on closer inspection that there is a group of young bikini clad girls nearby. Makes me sick when I realise it’s not his daughter but his young girlfriend and her mates . We walk past a house on the strand with its open byfold doors . They’ve set up a band , with cocktail bar ,young skimpily dressed girls and of course a group of ‘industry’ type old dudes real happy with themselves . Long hair (no grey hair),Kirk pengily facial growths , shiny skin , even a couple of cigars .Fuckn pricks . And any young chick who thinks she’s got it just happens to slowly wander by looking back over her shoulder ,giggling .There  is one guy who looks normal and I picture myself as him .He’s chatting to the Pengily dude and then he jogs off pulling car keys out of his pocket.He’s they’re fuckn driver,makes sense .Ej says she’d love to walk back for another look . Yeah ‘course ya fuckn do ‘,I say. I’ve got no doubt the sales for Viagra would be big here ,shit I’m gonna need some myself. Anyway I wanna join their club so I’m on the fitness push . I’m posing in front of the mirror all the time .Yeah ,yeah I know your going to say I do that anyway.True.I asked Leroy last night how I was looking ? He replied pretty good but you’ve only got 1 ab. That inspired me . ….. straight to the fridge for a beer to contemplate.

From what I can gather this day is a cross of Anzac and armistice day. It’s a big weekend in the states. Bbqs are big ,actually anything involving alcohol seems to be the norm. As you may have seen in my previous entry it’s a weekend for partying. On walking down the strand it was pumping with all sorts showing they’re national pride.Little American flags flying past on bikes ,on house fronts ,shirts ,hats ,bodies ,everywhere.What we love here is the bike culture is huge . The range in bikes flying past is amazing. But we always get a laugh at the mobile concerts that ride past .Its big to have your tunes booming out of your mobile speaker through your phone, and I mean it really is the in thing. You’ll see the full gamut in tastes . Families ,hipsters ,reggae,all riding past with they’re beats .But what I love the most is these old surf dudes trapped in the 70s with they’re weathered ,yes   still long  hair and sidies with old mirrored sunnies riding your old vintage style chopper bikes . And of course they are pumping out hotel California or stairway to heaven . Cool. I like it but I sort of feel sorry for them as well . They won’t let go . Wafting, pungent aroma from my old mate will drift through the crowds too .And they’re it was .A group of old boys sitting on the strand wall passing a joint around , looking real content . Yep they had it sorted and they didn’t care . These guys were in they’re 60s . Shit i felt a little brotherly love towards the elders . Could be me soon . 

Yep here , right now . A big weekend with a Monday public holiday. Gotta give it to the yanks ,they’re out there havn a crack . No diffferent than the Aussies . Heaps of parties and BBQ s and events . Love it . They all seem to come to Hermosa ,and why not . Cause when you’ve had a few  drinks this place gets real cool .No,it’s always cool . Happens so that it’s the Hermosa festival . The joint shuts down to traffic and becomes a massive market /fair. It’s a fuckn orgy of the the senses . As a 47 year old man you feel you’ve had your turn but oh god this is reinvigorating . Took the kids down and had a good look , THe food stalls were excellent. The craft  and stalls were totally eclectic ..The people ,mesmerising . Sooooo cliche Californian  . What I love is all these dudes and some chicks that are stuck in the 70s and 80s . You actually see them everyday but today they’re out loud and proud. To finish off we watch a pearl jam cover band . Fuck I hadn’t even had a beer and these guys had the goose bumps standing tall all over .Actually had a tear in my eye . It was fuckn cool and the crowd was oh so Californian ,crazy Californian . But what I really wished was that I could of been there with some of you guys . Cause ,then we could of looked at the crowd and then at it each other with a smile and sung to ‘pearl jams Jeremy .’And then hit one of these cool bars and get pissed . Yep this joint can get you down but fuck it can also make you feel good .​

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Alright ,more thought time put into this . I am stuck on a tangent here, but it is driving my thoughts.Education,I love it . I love the idea about getting the best out of my kids ,but how far ?We want them to be better than us and of course we want them to be happy.  I am excited that this system here will push the boys but don’t push me to be they’re part time teacher after school. I need teaching for me more than they do for themselves. But when you have a system where everything is accessed by money ,high marks bring partial and full scholarships.Bang! Everyone wants that .25 to 40 thousand for a degree sounds cheap but wages are low here . Now that opens the 2nd line of thought . To get a good wage , professionals are in the box seat. And guess what you need ,high scores . Australians can access a good life through trades , government jobs an all manner of other avenues . Here the same ,but 500 million people are in for that game. And still they get paid half of your college graduate . At Hermosa schools anything below 60% is an f . 90% A . 80%B 70% c . They ring you if your kid is not doing enough homework or even if they are late to school. They don’t leave it too long before they  ring ,unlike the surprises you can get at home . Feedback has been regular . I suspect they don’t want they’re school ranking to drop but you’re not left in any doubt on how you’re kids are performing .We are lucky in Australia because we make a good living in a wide range of careers . That’s the thing . I get it . The US is set up to reward the best , the rest can fight for the scraps . They are tough here  , they will push you to push your kid cause they know a good life is yours if you keep all the rest under your boot .  Yep it’s dog eat dog here and I knew that before I came to LA but it still has surprised me.