Speaking the Gospel of Urban Wilderness

I've always been obsessed with nature, particularly that elusive nature found in urban areas. It's why I'm a birdwatcher. It's why I preach to anyone who will listen about the greatness of the Minneapolis park system, where one can be minutes from downtown, yet feel lost in the wilderness (almost). L.A. has provided an interested smorgasborg of urban nature, and I discover new challenges every day in deciphering this weird puzzle that is the City of Angels.

Despite New York City's reputation as a concrete jungle, there is in fact much more accessible green space for city residents there than here in Los Angeles. The only thing odder than that is the fact that L.A., while virtually devoid of green space at the neighborhood level, contains some of the largest urban parklands on the planet. Where else can one have to drive miles to find a patch of green, but then get attacked by a mountain lion or coyote in their backyard? Nature is so elusive, yet we look out the window and see an endless range of mountains, close enough to touch, yet just out of reach at the same time. There's a great article in the April issue of The Believer by writer Jenny Price on the oddity of being a Los Angeles nature writer. Definitely worth a read.

Speaking of Price, she's hosting a six-hour tour of the Los Angeles River at the end of May. For the uninitiated, the L.A. "River" is that concrete berm that has served as the backdrop for chase and/or racing scenes in movies such as Grease, Terminator 2, Repo Man and many, many others. It was once a natural river, but because of flooding concerns, the Army Corps of Engineers slapped enough concrete on that bad boy to change the natural face of L.A. forever.

I'm definitely signing up for Price's river tour. Should give me some great perspective on this often forgotten natural aspect of the city. Also lots of great birdwatching on the river's banks.

A Thelonious Monk kind of day...

Quite literally. I just spent the better part of the entire day with Monk's music blasting in the background. Gotta say, it really kept me motivated, and I got some really meaningful writing (on the creative front) done, and some equally meaningful writing (on the paycheck front) done too. Plus, my little dude (who just turned the big TWO yesterday) bounced around the house the entire time. What is it about Monk's music that resonates so much in small children? Maybe because, at first listen, it sounds like something a child could play? (even though it's some of the most complex music I've ever heard)

Anyhow, it's closing in on 6pm, little Mingus is out cold for a late nap, and Monk's Straight No Chaser has wound to a close. Guess it's Curtis Mayfield time...

The Surreal Mob Life

Has The Sopranos jumped the shark? Or do I just not get it? There are still some great things about one of my favorite television shows. Every time Christopher (Michael Imperioli) opens his mouth, it's hard not to double over in laughter ("Allegra? Isn't that a cold medicine?"). Pauly Walnuts seems to just be itching to finally get his comeuppance, and I have to be there when it happens. Johnny Sack is turning into a pretty interesting character, and his teary breakdown at his daughter's wedding was classic.

But Uncle Junior (my favorite character from the first two seasons) being reduced to a raving lunatic? The two episodes of "Tony in Purgatory" with the whole buddhist monk/heat installation subplot? The Vito in the leather gay bar scene that had me thinking of Tobias in Arrested Development? Bobby shooting Treach in the ass for street cred?

Dammit Fonzie, where'd you put those waterskis?

Finding the time...

Wow, it's been a while since I've had a spare moment to sit down and post on my trusty blog, prompting some telephone calls from a few friends who wondered what I was up to. Funny that in many cases a blog acts as a substitute to actual contact with people, and even I find myself guilty of "checking up" on friends through their blogs rather than with a simple call or email. I really have to break that habit. I hope others do the same for me, because my ramblings here are much less "this is what I did today" and much more stream of consciousness.

That being said, I'm still wondering how people are able to find the time to blog. On the occassions when I sit down and prepare to add an entry, I'm suddenly wracked with guilt, thinking what am I doing writing on a blog when I have work to do? When you write for a living, it's hard to write a blog and not feel as though you're goofing off.

Lots of stuff has been happening since I last posted, yet lots has stayed the same. The Knicks are still sucking, the kids are still good, projects are still on the cooker, stories have been published, yada yada yada. It has been unseasonably cool here lately (that means in the high 50s and low 60s to my friends back east), and my car has been acting completely jacked up, which has prompted use of public transit as a necessity as opposed to novelty. Thank goodness my mechanic is finally getting me in this week, which means I'll be rolling around as usual by the weekend. I'll have to celebrate by driving up the PCH next weekend.