Echo Park

Echo Park, originally uploaded by emdot.

A couple of nights ago my friend Heather was in town with her boyfriend Jim who is screening two of his films tonight in Echo Park.

The minute I heard the words Echo Park I started to swoon because I love Echo Park and my most favorite part of Echo Park? The lotus flowers.

I started in, "you have to go to the park -- you have to see the lotus -- they are amazing. There are so many. They are gorgeous. I could go there every day --"

And 7s interrupted me.

"The lotus are gone."

WHAT?!

I haven't been to LA in a god-awful long time. And in that amount of time the lotus of Echo Park have all but vanished (these events are unrelated, as far as I can tell).

(Tho, the lotus may be in mourning from my not having visited.)

I didn't believe him. Couldn't believe him. I mean, there are so many lotus and they are each so huge -- how could they have just disappeared? Impossible. And unfathomable. And just not right.

Today 7s gave me a link to this LA Times article about what has happened to the lotus of Echo Park. They really are gone. This makes me incredibly sad. I can't imagine how Angelenos must feel....

The article is good and has a great slide show showing you how the lake looks now and contrasts with with days of yore.

June 11th and Still No June Gloom.

cactus fairyland, originally uploaded by emdot.

I just said to 7s, "Do you know what I love? June! I've never really loved June before." He asked me why is that? (Why is what? That I love June or that I've never loved it before? He clarified: Why do you love June?)

I love June because it was beautiful and blue skies at 5:45 this morning. No dark. No oppressing "still nighttime" feeling. Just fresh and blue skies.

And then I realized, my whole life I've lived on the coast of California. I've never experienced the beauty that is June because in my life June mean June Gloom. June means fog and cold mornings and more fog and lots of dew and maybe turn on your windshield wipers a couple of times before you drive to work. June means wearing a sweater 'til noon.

I don't know if it's global warming or what but this June has put on a summer dress, has baked a pie, and is spreading out the picnic blanket and I'm RSVPing Yes!

Note to self

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): "The job of the newspaper is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable," said journalist Finley Peter Dunne. In that spirit, Virgo, here are your assignments for the coming week:

1. Critique and question and agitate the parts of yourself that are complacent or addicted to convenience.
2. Give help, sympathy, and encouragement to the parts of yourself that are off-center or out-of-focus.
3. Shake up the static, habit-entranced situations you see around you.
4. Be generous and creative with those who are suffering.