Wow. I'm experiencing a deep and soul-satisfying revolution that is affecting nearly every part of my life. My New Era here in LA has filled me with love, life, energy, curiosity, and happiness. Let's see...where to start?

Well, first of all, I signed up for and passed the first (written) part of a motorcycle safety course. I got 100% on the test and will take the riding part of the course this coming Saturday and Sunday. I'm taking the class primarily because I want to get into dirt bike riding, but also because Steve has a sweet bike that I'll be riding on regularly. I got a taste of what I'm getting myself into this past weekend, when Steve took me out on his motorcycle for two really invigorating long rides--one up the PCH all the way to Oxnard, and the other up to Mt. Wilson on the Angeles Crest (there was snow up there!).

Riding as a passenger on a motorcycle really forces one to confront feelings of fear and lack of control and trust. You realize that, if the ride is going to be enjoyable, you have to just accept that you have no control, that the person driving loves you and loves life, and that the universe will take care of the rest, even if that means a horrendous crash. It's pretty therapeutic, actually. Not only do we (passenger and driver) share the highly sensorial experience of exploring the land via motorcycle (you can smell the plants, the barbeques, the ocean...!), but we also share the heightened emotions that are part of engaging in a risky experience. The end result is that I feel like I've *really* lived and I'm closer to Steve, my partner and the owner/driver of said motorcycle.

I now also desire to be a much more careful driver, having discovered how scary it is as a motorcyclist to expect that, at any moment, a car might pull right in front of or into you, not having noticed you. Sometimes you even wonder if they've noticed you from behind. I don't know what happens when a biker gets rear ended, but I don't want to find out. I vow to be a better driver.

Another wholly unrelated element of my New Era, is my discovery that the United States (this area, especially) is much more affluent that I'd really understood. The number of Beamers, Mercedes, Jaguars, etc. on the roads out here is just mind boggling. And it's not just cars that evidence peoples' wealth--there are the expensive hair salons, clothing stores, furniture stores, multi-million dollar homes, packed-to-the-gills yoga studios, spas, etc. that are ALL OVER the place out here. I feel richer just being around all of this. And I'm not just referring to Venice--I'm referring to much of Los Angeles (and believe me, I've seen a lot of it so far--I ventured down to Compton last week and slowly worked my way back north throughout the afternoon, an experience which reminded me that LA is mostly non-white people).

When Steve and I rode up the Angeles Crest last weekend, the last town we went through before entering the mountains was this absolutely pristine, beautiful, calm town called La Canada Flintridge. Even there, on the outer edge of Los Angeles, everyone is swimming in money. And I don't mean that everyone is carrying around a Gucci bag and climbing into their Audi TT, but there's just an incredible sense of comfort and peace. It seems as if no one has any worries--they're all as comfortable as could be. There's a peace that comes with wealth, you know? I'm not making a judgment here--just observing. When you have a certain level of wealth, there's something in you that can relax. That vacation feeling. I guess that's what I'm sensing. The vacation feeling. It's kind of rubbing off on me. I feel like this awesome experience is a vacation, but I'm happily realizing that it's just my life. I'm still working hard, still living off of my meager non-profit salary, but I'm feeling rich in emotion, experience, and opportunity.

Ahhhhh...deep, satisfied sigh.