Dowtown LA

The highlighted instrument is strung up between the two skyscrapers, and played like a harp. But it is so huge that the musicians look like they are dancing as the hit the notes. #art #losangeles #dtla #music

A video posted by ☆Katie (@katierm1821) on Dec 11, 2015 at 4:19am PST

Oktoberfest!

Oktoberfest

Alpine Village, Torrance, CA

#Oktoberfest

A video posted by ☆Katie (@katierm1821) on Oct 16, 2015 at 9:13pm PDT

99 Red Luftballons

A video posted by ☆Katie (@katierm1821) on Oct 17, 2015 at 3:37am PDT

World War II National Museum, New Orleans, LA

E.T. and the Hollywood Bowl

The LA Philharmonic played the E.T. score while the movie played in the background, and it was amazing.  

Even more so, the audience was very engaged and involved, in seemingly typical Hollywood showing fashion.  Yes!

Oh, and the amazingness of the Hollywood Bowl shuttle:

Welcome to Hollywood!

The Welsh girl made it to Hollywood!

And isn't this the best intro:

Eurotrip

Eurotrip- 10 Countries (not including US), 5 flights, 3 International bus rides, 3 International trains, Countless rides on the public transit, 2 Kayaks, 1 Rollerblading adventure, and a bazillion miles walking.... 525,600.... something.

And a dream realized. Wow. It is possible.

Skid Row, Los Angeles, CA: A look back.

In response to the latest police shooting in Los Angeles, on Skid Row, the Union Rescue Mission and an LAPD officer came onto Fox11 News, to discuss the shooting. They agreed that man shot put himself, and the officers, in a terrible position, and videos show that the LAPD were called to the area, because he was hurting others around him. They are making a point though, that the injustice being lived here, is Skid Row itself. That help is concentrated in that single area, and how the homeless are essentially dumped there, attracting also organized crime, who feeds off of these individuals who are in need of medication, giving them "alternative options". This is a tragedy that faults the entire Los Angeles community, and the fact that we'd collective rather dump these people in a area behind the big building, instead of helping them. LA is full of these contradictions, blocks apart. 

When I was in High School, we would join a group that would help a center to pass out resources regularly to communities that were in the most need.  There was a "Hotel" near Skid Row that we were working, and we walked down one hallway, that smelled inexplicably aweful, and right in the middle was a toddler playing on the floor.  As we got closer to the toddler, the smell got worse.  It smelled like rot, like when an animal dies in a wall, or under a floorboard, but times ten, mixed with human feces, puke, rotten food, and other things I couldn't recognize.  We talked to the toddlers mom, and she said they hadn't seen their neighbor in a few days, and was ready to call the police because it was "starting to stink".   That was the first time I smelled a rotting corpse, and I was shocked by the fact that this child was growing up around it like it was the norm... and in America, of all countries.  

These experiences cause you to question A LOT about your life, your community, and your world.  It forces you to see that you've been kept in a perverbial well all of your life, and that the world if much larger than your own.  At the same time, its hard to not further dehumanize these individuals by tuning them into a learning expereience, and nothing more than a story to tell my future children: about the single time I helped "those people". 

The truly reality, is that we are all "those people" and all hold the responsibility to help each other.  Some were lucky in life, born in to priviledge or given a chance, and others weren't.  Granted, the issue is far more complicated than this simple statement, but the point: WE ALL Hold Responsibility to Help Our Communities. In some way, and even if just our own neighborhoods, or a single neighbor. If you don't like the Darkness, stop crying about it, and do something.... Light a candle, turn on a light. 

Revisiting a lesson in snobbery and politics

"The first thing that you must realize is that power is collective.  The individual only has power in so far as he ceases to be an individual.  You know the Party slogan 'Freedom is Slavery.'  Has it ever occurred to you that it is reversible?  Slavery is freedom. Alone - free - the human being is always defeated.  It must be so, because every human being is doomed to die, which is the greatest of all failures.  But if he can make complete, utter submission, if he can escape from his identity, if he can merge himself in the Party so that he is the Party, then he is all-powerful and immortal."  

1984, George Orwell

Revisiting the snob, here is an auxiliary lesson to be learned.  For the sake of belonging and oneness, one may surrender their identity to the group or power that they wish to succeed in.  In retrospect, it is becoming apparent that all individuals must surrender themselves at some point, and in doing so, naturally run the risk of doing wrong by others, and betraying their own morals in the process.  When such realities are so overbearing though, it is natural for these individuals to give into the reality, and create a life within it.  Whether you reality is via social contracts, including wealth or ethnicity, or through legal contracts, including working contracts, debt, etc., at some point we must surrender to something and face our own realities in it.  

In the Western World, we do most often have the freedom and the right to stray from this and choose another path.  For some their integrity holds them to it, as they consciously entered into an agreement with another party, for which they remain responsible to (i.e. leadership positions, parenthood, etc.).  Others were born into realities, and in choosing to leave, run the risk of losing the life they have now (i.e. marrying outside of a religion or race). Then there are others that are bound to commitments or realities, and in breaking it, run a serious risk to life and freedom (i.e. loans, military, etc.).   So in making these decisions, it is vital that we ask ourselves what is most important to us, what is our current reality, and if we are willing to risk treasure in the hopes of gaining more.  

Oh my friend loneliness, where have you been?

Oh my friend loneliness, where have you been?

You left to the lure of the lover who left me alone

But now you come crawling back, and I'll let you in

And we'll slip into groove that we cut in ourselves long ago.

- Frank Turner -

The 2014 theme for so many people, and it seems to be continuing into this year.  Except this time we are old pros and know how to manage it.  

Wine anyone?

Actually, I think that we were all wandering around alone, and then found each other in 2014.  So now we help each other.

And finish the wine around a fire.  

Together.  

San Francisco, CA: A long ass bike ride

We've heard of biking around a city, so we tried it out and rented bikes for the day.  

We got a good deal through our hostel, and went off for the day.

... for approx. 23 miles.... 

I had to do a lot of convincing to one of these girls, but we did it, and we biked across the Golden Gate Bridge to Saulcedo.  Then we took a Ferry back, so we didn't have to make it 46 miles.  

San Francisco, CA: Orange Village Hostel

Orange Village Hostel

411 O'Farrell St, San Francisco

http://orangevillagehostel.com/

Yet another Hostel down, and another intro to hostel living for the girls.  This one was not too shabby at all.  We had our own bathroom, which was great, and they gave us free breakfast :)

It wasn't as nice as some of the others though, but adequate enough.  

Community responsibility ya'll

Quick tour:

The was a common area, a kitchen, and lobby.
Plus, breakfast every morning, with Nutella!