I feel like I could walk this morning, but I have to leave...

for class soon.  It doesn't actually start until 9, but I need to get over to Santa Monica, have breakfast (I'll eat here on all other class days, but I want to get there early and get situated on day one) and then get myself to class and organized.

So this morning, an edition of stuff I saw yesterday.

A car parked across two spaces in a parking lot.  Now when it's a Hummer, that won't fit into one space, or a really expensive car that the owner doesn't want scratched or dinged, I understand the concept.  But this was an old piece of junk with primer paint on one door, body damage to the rear and no one would want to steal it, key it, or go anywhere near it.  Heck, I wouldn't have wanted to ride in it, even if that hot model who is the subject of an arrest warrant here in L.A. was driving.

Two women talking non-stop before a movie started.  Now before I sound sexist, let me assure you that if I had gone three auditoriums over, I'm sure there were two men talking non-stop before the action film started somewhere in that theater, but I was seeing "Hello, I Must Be Going", which is more of a chick flick.  So it was two women and they kept yammering even as the theater employee was trying to introduce the film and do his little spiel before the film begins.  I wanted to lean over and shush them, but decided the confrontation wasn't one I wanted to engage in.  Thankfully once the film began they shut up.  I didn't have anything with which to gag them.  Hey, it's a movie, one can dream.

A pub owner trying to explain why I'd been unaware that the trivia contest that was scheduled in his pub for that evening had been cancelled due to a football game.  Apparently emailing everyone on the mailing list was supposed to ensure the entire universe knew not to show up.  Since they didn't ask us to join their email list on our last visit, their expectation was kind of unrealistic.  I made it a point to sign up for the list, so there won't be a repeat of a journey like that with no pay-off.  I did get a free diet Coke for my troubles though, so there is that. 

I was at the supermarket, to get one of their delicious deli sandwiches.  It's not a secret that one of the sandwiches from Ralph's put the Subway sandwiches to shame.  Especially if you can get the deli clerk person to freshly shave the meat for your sandwich.   As I was there, I saw a couple with three kids, and one more on the way shopping for some of the service deli's ready to eat food.  They had other stuff in the cart, but they were buying the overpriced things like chicken tenders and wings and so on.  None of my business, right?

Until I was behind them in the check-out line and she pulled out an EBT card to pay for it.  Again, still really none of my business.  I did note the flawless set of acrylic nails she was wearing, the designer jeans and expensive sandals, but again, none of my business.

Then I saw her and her "man" loading their groceries into a brand new SUV.  Let's add this up.  Paying for food with food stamps.  Designer jeans, brand new SUV and so on.  Now maybe she does her own nails and maybe the jeans are knock-offs she got at the swap meet.  But no one is going to easily explain away the SUV that still doesn't have its permanent plate yet.  Okay, okay, put that soap box away.

I saw a woman who was either trying to show a lot more leg than other women, or she just plain forgot her shorts or pants.  That dress wasn't a dress, it was a long blouse.  If she'd reached up to try to touch the sky, she'd have flashed everyone her undies.  Assuming she wasn't going commando.

I checked a cheapest gas application yesterday.  Most gas in and around Santa Monica is fairly competitive, but there are some serious exceptions.  San Vicente and Bundy is not all that far from San Vicente and Montana, but there are two stations that are that close, with a 44 cent per gallon pricing difference for regular gas.  Considering both are "premium" brand names, why would any idiot not drive three blocks and save 44 cents per gallon?  The 76 station at 26th and Santa Monica is worse. Nothing within 5 blocks in any direction and they therefore are charging $4.89 per gallon for regular.  Just keep driving and get somewhere else.  If you have a 30 gallon tank and you fill up once a week, paying 30 cents more a gallon on average over the course of a year is going to cost you almost $500.00.  FWIW, that 76 station isn't the worst offender.  There is a Shell station at the intersection of San Vicente, Fairfax and Olympic boulevards in the Mid-City area charging $4.93 for regular.  Not another gas station within 8 blocks, so it has a virtual monopoly.  Keep driving, folks and pass them right by.

I saw the sign.  The sign that says the replacement show for Mark and Brian, morning drive radio icons in L.A. for 25 years is the Heidi and Frank show.  They'd left radio for the internet years ago, and now they're back on the air.  The real air, radio.  But you're still able to waste $50 a year for an annual subscription to their website to get "more access".  I'll pass and just retire my two-digit original M&B listener number and bypass KLOS during the mornings.