While those load, I might as well unload about all these allusions I've made to high drama sprouting around me. For about the last three weeks I've been getting to know Cats very well. She's a mutual friend of Cuddles and I. Lately she was having troubles with someone whom she had fallen in love with. As the fare of long-distance relationships go, it's hard to make a solid commitment: there's noone really solid to make the commitment to. Added on to the fact that both were insecure about the situation and wanted separate things and it ended up getting complicated at points. I offered what insight I could and I think I helped ease both of them by acting like a sortof social 3rd party Switzerland (read: neutral) mediator. As of now they're both trying to consolidate something again, since she realized that her man is staying loyal and faithful.

More immediate to me, though, was the Las Vegas trip to go see T. A little more than a week ago I wrote that I'd be in Vegas by now, in the company of a mysterious and alluring woman. So, you ask, what happened to Vegas? At first I was tentatively for it: who would turn down a mini-vacation complete with a snuggling appertif and dessert?

As it happened, though, a good friend of mine read that journal entry and became very upset and angry. I talked with her about it and she seemed ok, but later on (rightfully) questioned my going to see someone I barely knew and what might happen; if that's what I really wanted. It became a decision between losing her trust and respect versus visiting a new friend and being physically intimate with them.

I chose the respect and trust. Many people asked me why, why turn down visiting someone? I can't honestly tell you except I care enough about my friend's feelings that I couldn't, in good conscience, go. I could have lied to her and gone anyway, but then she compounded my reservations about seeing someone who seemed too eager, too praiseful after 3 days. T is a nice person, I know that much, but when I have a gut instinct about situations, I go with it.

Regarding today, though, I ate lunch with Mom at the Greek restaurant I mentioned a few entries ago. We got into the Gran bashing ritual again and generally enjoyed the dappled sunlight drifting past the hills into a 3pm dusk of haze and car horns. Sometime in the next...whenever, my oldest friend back from Junior High, Adi, will come in guns blazing and sheperd me away from here to the halls of poker Valhalla. There, for two days and one night, I will take up arms in ales and stouts and get heartily drunk, shooting the shit and playing Maverick-style tournament poker. Ah Texas Hold-'em, you sweet pandering harlot.

So, update over, here's the first set of snapshots:

Golden autumn leaves.

This is a tree in our front garden area with a mini rose trellis.

The building moved long enough to stand still. Cameras are strange beasts.

I love refineries and high technology. I don't think enough people appreciate the alien aesthetic of it all, esp. at night.

"Dancing trees." Passionately mad in their pursuit of themselves.

Has a castle feeling to it, the spires in the distance with sun-dappled leaves swishing in front.

The warped perspective is phenomenal. From the hundreds of drive-by shots I took, I like this one the best.

Yup, trees grow big around Palos Verdes.

A fountain at sunset.

Shot of planters and a few trees. I wish the detail could be brought out more. Big drawback in doing daytime photography with this 510 Logitech.

Random foliage.

"Redwood Renovatio." Scott's backyard, with smooth soft grass and a large redwood.

"Chain Gang."

Rolling hills with a narrow horse trail wending up, around and down them..like a tongue, only less graceful and straight.

"Smog Armageddon." LA is many things, but it is a great place for double sunset reliefs (on top and bottom) with a tinge of mushroom cloud Blues.

previous - next