Traffic 1-2-3

TRAFFIC #1 - The Real Thing: I live in LA. I know about traffic. So why do I continue to think I can get anywhere in "20 minutes" since everywhere in LA is (supposedly) only 20 minutes away?!

Well, DUH. You were going to Long Beach, which is not "REALLY" L.A. And it's 35 miles away from Burbank, so no matter HOW you cut it, you're not gonna get there in 20 minutes.

And I didn't. That's what I get for not fixing my printer and not printing up the map on Yahoo Maps. Then getting lost with no map. And calling a girlfriend for navigational help only to find out the stupid computer filled in ONE street when she typed in another (thank you for keeping me BREATHING!). Fifty-five minutes later, I had to admit defeat and call my client back (again) and feign idiocy (FEIGN?!) ARRGH. Fortunately he works out of his home and wasn't twiddling his thumbs, and after I calmed down we had a great read. I love AIRY hands... and I had quite a lovely time.

BTW, the funniest thing he said was on the phone on my way there. I told him I'd met him at the gay men's dinner party for Halloween, but when I'm in "reading mode" I don't really remember a whole lot (it's me and the hands, babe, just me and the hands). So I asked him who he came as that night, to maybe jar my memory.

"I thought I came as a construction worker, with my toolbelt and construction hat and all. But everyone else thought I came as a lesbian."

MWAHAHAHAHAH!

TRAFFIC #2 - Blogging It Forward: Speaking of traffic, I ran into three great sites recently I'd love to share with you. I read somewhere there was a "Blog It Forward" day in November, but having forgotten what day it was (and am apparently LATE for that too), I would like to keep the spirit of that celebration -- and tell you about three blogs I've just added on my blogroll.

(a) Humor Hangout--A humor column for readers with taste is delightful! Forgetting that I could/should surf blogs via BlogExplosion, I found Hope's exquisite post Staying with other people: helping at supper, (WARNING: shameless plug) which inspired me to write a tasteful essay of my own in response (and unfortunately bombarding her comments section of that post as well). I may post it here someday, but I'm not quite sure I want to brag about my "helping at supper" strategies so boldly. At least not while I'm still on my friends' dinner invitation guest lists! But back to Hope's blog -- do read her Staying with other people series, including the her spot-on thoughts on the bathroom and doing the dishes (but not at the same time).

(b) I found Cecilia and her Clearcandy Daily on the comments section of the Hope's Humor Hangout (what a weird thing this blogging phenomena is). She's a Ph.d student in Brussels, Belgium (have you had the mussels in Brussels yet, Cecilia? Mmmm...) studying diabetes (and candy :), and shock of all shock, she's Filipino! We had a little discussion on the burp as a sign of appreciation after a meal... she has a lovely site.

(c) Abroad at Home is written by an Englishman known only as sp3ccylad who's returned to the U.K. but whose wife is American. (Get it, get it?) He has got to be the craziest BLOGGER LINKER in town and has posted links (with witty commentary of course) to such novelties as ballsies, dognoses, singing meat and the world's biggest origami penis. Enjoy!

TRAFFIC #3 - Surfing the Blogosphere: (Especially for Hope and Cecilia :) -- I LOVE BLOGEXPLOSION! The number people who see my site now is amazing and the number of returning folks is growing (slowly, but steadily) as well. (Did I mention I'm a statistics wh*re?) I don't feel like I'm "hiding out" anymore (you know that "getting a comment in your mailbox" feeling, don't you?! It's great :), but most of all I love to surf (and earn my credits) and get ENGLISH ONLY blogs. One night of "Next Blog" in Blogger can be hell if you want good content (which means you have to be able to read it!), and after my initial week of craziness w/ frenetic surfing, I've finally settled down into a nice pattern of reading. Highly recommend -- and (WARNING: shameless grovelling) should you decide to check out it out, do click on this BlogExplosion link or the flashing banner on my sidebar so I can earn some credit :)

Now, to traffic my pooped self to bed...