Don't Try This At Home Kids...

I love reading all of your blogs.  You're generation has a much more personable style of writing and posting.  I think (correct that, I know- it's well documented) that your generation is much more comfortable with putting your life and thoughts out there.  My posts are very Dragnet in style:  just the facts Ma'am, just the facts.  B-O-R-I-N-G!!!  So I had to do something to spice it up and to show you just what a juvenile delinquent your old auntie can still be.

My friend Brad from my BYU Hawaii and Provo days lives in San Diego. (Yes, Jenni, this is my friend who attended your baby blessing; he still inquires as to how you are doing).  He's a travelogue in and of himself.  A naturally adventuresome and somewhat fearless person be it in the jungles of Viet Nam, sailing on a Russian Icebreaker to Antarctica, plane hitchhiking or in an urban settings (he once snuck his way into a SNL post-party where the Rolling Stones were attending).  At BYU he came within a hair of convincing me to jump a freight train with him just because you could.  Yes, he's done all that and more. I think you get his flavor by now. 

Anyhow, as a young adult Brad worked on trains to indulge his passion for them and travel.  He called last week and since surf was down wanted to know if I could meet him in downtown LA for lunch.  He surfs nearly daily and given lunch with me or a good day surfing... well you know who'd win, so suffice it to say, the surf was poor.  He wanted to meet at Cole's French dip on 6th St. at Main.  Cole's is over 100 years old and is on the ground level of what used to be the original train depot for Los Angeles.  Even though Union Station was the terminal when Brad worked, I guess he and his co-workers would frequent Cole's.  Brad was looking for a day of nostalgia.  

We agreed to meet Friday.  That morning I heard on the radio that many streets would be

closed downtown for May Day Immigrant Rights marches.  I called Comrade Brad and warned him that I might be late getting into downtown.  He decided to arrive early so he could break a few window panes before they were all gone.  But I digress.

So Brad arrived early and scoped out downtown.  He did early reconnaissance and came up with a plan.  I, as the lemming, just followed along.

So,  here's a picture of City Hall.  Notice on the very top of the conned roof is a little projection?

Now, see where my head is?

Same spots, different views.    52 going on 15.

City Hall was restored a few years ago to it's original glory which includes a beacon that shoots out the top of the roof.  I'll spare the "getting there" details - because if I told you, I'd have to kill you- but here's a picture of my final climb in the skeleton of City Hall's roof as I ascend the beacon and one of Brad right behind me.  The crow's nest of sorts was really only big enough for one person but we decided to squeeze both of us in for a kodak moment.

Here's a view from the crow's nest.  That's Disney Concert Hall in the center of the shot.

Brad is a bad influence on me.